Solar Home Tours: How You Can See Solar in Action

Whether you know it or not, you are in the midst of the largest solar event in the world. In an effort to promote residential solar power, the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) has organized the 13th Annual National Solar Tour, bringing homeowners into solar homes to learn how solar works, how it saves money, and how they can do it. The tours, while overseen by ASES, seem to be very grassroots occasions: Local solar homeowners inviting other members of their community into their home to spread the word about solar energy and what is arguably the best solution for high energy costs.

ASES makes it easy to find a solar home tour in your state. Many in this year’s tour have already occurred, but don’t worry, there are still several on the schedule. And, if you can’t find one, you could always organize one! Looking for that last bit of motivation for getting your solar system off the ground? “Forty percent of the people with solar homes in this country once went on this tour,” says Bill Spratley, executive director of Green Energy Ohio, speaking with Columbus Daily News, “We see people go on the tour one year, and the next year they’re in the tour.”

Want to see how it’s going so far? Here are some links to help you learn more about solar home tours and the response they’re getting:

Solar Homes on Display in Chicago, where more than 80 homes opened their doors recently to prospective solar homeowners.

See what the folks in Half Moon Bay, CA have been up to. This is one solar-friendly city.

REC Solar decided to lend a helping hand to Davis, CA as they got their own solar tour in motion.

Of course, we can’t forget our nation’s capital. Not to mention other solar havens like Oregon, Minnesota, and many more.

Just in case you missed the tour in your area, you can see an example on YouTube.

Posted on October 14th in Solar Information by Dan.