WHO KNEW the Nationwide Celebration of Sun Day on September 21 Included a Hanover to Norwich parade, a Fair on the Norwich Green, and a Solar Quiz?
The brainchild of Bill McKibbon of Third Act, Sun Day gave solar and wind power enthusiasts an opportunity to celebrate renewable energy and educate people about the economic efficacy of non-fossil fuel sources of energy. Sustainable Hanover partnered with the Norwich, Thetford and Lyme Energy Committees to sponsor an event that started with a march across Ledyard Bridge from the NH side to the VT side and up the hill to the Norwich Green. On the Green, local organizations and vendors were on hand to demonstrate and talk about the huge role that solar power and other renewable energy sources currently play in our lives. Solar is the most cost competitive source of energy available.
As part of the celebration, organizers created a Solar Quiz for participants to test their solar knowledge and gain an opportunity to win a raffle prize (donated by local businesses). The quiz is reproduced below, so you can assess your own solar proficiency. Answers are at the end.
1. Sunshine is everywhere! How much solar power can be generated from the sunshine hitting the earth’s surface every 90 minutes?
a) Enough to satisfy 100% of New England energy consumption for one year
b) Enough to satisfy 100% of US energy consumption for one year
c) Enough to satisfy 100% of the energy consumed globally for one year
2. Which region of the world has installed the most solar capacity?
a) Asia Pacific b) Europe c) North America
3. Individuals, businesses, towns and non-profits in five towns (Hanover, Lebanon, Lyme, Norwich, Thetford) have installed systems for more than 21 Megawatts of solar power. How many households can be served by this amount of solar?
a)1000 b) 2000 c) 3000 d) More than 3,500
4. “Balcony solar” is an option popular in Germany and elsewhere. These are small portable PV panels that plug directly into household outlets without requiring interconnection with the utility. Which state recently became the first in the USA to approve legislation to start the process to allow balcony solar?
a) California b) New York c) Texas d) Utah
5. Without subsidies, the cost to produce electricity from solar and wind is 2 to 3 times cheaper than the cost to produce electricity from fossil fuels like gas and coal. In 2023, G20 subsidies for solar and wind production amounted to $168 billion. What were the G20 subsidies for fossil fuels during the same period?
a) $0 b) $115 billion c) $237 billion d) $538 billion
Answers: 1) c; 2) a; 3) d; 4) d; 5) d