American Solar Energy Society National Solar Tours Scheduled in Santa Cruz, San Benito, and South Santa Clara Counties

Over 150,000 people across the United States are expected to participate in the ASES National Solar Tour this year.

2009 marks the 14th year of the ASES National Solar Tour, a nation-wide solar education event where visitors can see real-world examples of solar energy production in action. This is the largest grassroots solar tour in the world with 225 tours showcasing 5,500 buildings. The tour takes place on Saturday, October 3rd.

Local tours will be available in Santa Cruz,  San Benito and South Santa Clara counties and will feature a variety of renewable concepts, from roof and ground-mount solar systems with system monitoring from the Internet,  to solar-powered water features and solar-electric cars.

Owners and solar experts will be available to provide information on the systems and answer questions. The local tours will be sponsored by Solar Technologies and SunPower Corporation.

The event is free to the public. Maps can be downloaded at www.SantaCruzSolarTour.com and www.SanBenitoSolarTour.com. Maps will also be available at the Solar Technologies Showroom at 619 Soquel Avenue in Santa Cruz.

The purpose of the tour is to allow home owners, businesses, schools, municipalities and non-profits to showcase how they are using solar power to slash energy costs, improve property values and reap rich new government incentives.

According to ASES pre and post-tour surveys, 44% of those taking the tour are interested in purchasing clean energy technology for their homes. After the tour, that number jumps to an astounding 73%.
"With a perfect storm of national leadership that recognizes the importance of renewable energy, a menu of enticing new government incentives, rising energy costs and a groundswell of public support for clean energy alternatives, interest in the benefits of solar is off the charts," said ASES National Solar Tour Manager Richard Burns.

ASES is a non-profit organization established in 1954. It is the nation’s leading association of solar professionals and advocates supported by more than 13,000 members.  ASES’ mission is to speed the transition to a sustainable energy economy.

ASES publishes the award-winning SOLAR TODAY magazine, presents the National Solar Conference, and leads the National Solar Tour – the largest grassroots solar event in the world. www.ases.org

About Solar Technologies

Solar Technologies is a Santa Cruz, CA-based solar power installer designing and building solar power systems for commercial and residential electric users for the past eleven years. Visit the website at www.SolarTechnologies.com or call 831-421-0440 for more information about installing a solar power system on your home or business. The Solar Technologies Showroom is located at 619 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, across the street from Shopper’s corner.