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The City of Austin
Austin cares about our environment and is one of the greenest cities in the United States as well as being a national leader on the green building scene.
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Austin Solar Sunflower Field at Mueller
A retail lot in Austin, Texas recently sprouted a stunning field of solar sunflowers that soak up the sun’s rays to provide shade while generating a steady stream of renewable energy. Designed by public art team Harries/Heder, the installation consists of 15 flower-like solar photovoltaic panels located on a pedestrian and bike path between the village of Mueller and Austin’s highway I-35. According to the Harries/Heder, the flowers are “an icon for the sustainable, LEED certified Muller Development and highly visible metaphor for the energy conscious City of Austin."
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Austin Home with Solar Photovoltaic Panels in the Mueller Community
Mueller's Green Building Program — one of the most aggressive in the country; incorporates national LEED standards. As a result, Mueller's designs are resource-efficient, use non-toxic and recyclable regional materials and help maintain and improve air and water quality. The program is designed to promote better health, greater comfort and lower utility bills.
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Wind Turbine at LCRA's McKinney Roughs Nature Park
The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), the Alternative Energy Institute (AEI) at West Texas A&M University, and Meridian Energy Systems collaborated to install a Skystream 3.7 residential-sized wind system at the LCRA’s McKinney Roughs Nature Park near Bastrop, Texas. It is used as an educational teaching aid. The wind turbine: Skystream 3.7 with a 2.4 kilowatt rating mounted on a 75 ft pole with a 12 ft blade span. The turbine begins producing power with 8 mph breezes, has an average power rating of 1.8 kilowatts (kW) and operates most efficiently at wind speeds of 12 mph. Full output is achieved with 20 mph winds
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Solar Photovoltaic Panel at LCRA's McKinney Roughs Nature Park
Primarily used as an educational aid. This 1-kW solar photovoltaic panel when combined with the wind turbine already on site, can offset about 2,500 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of power used each year at the nature park’s administration buildings. That equals a projected offset of about 3,400 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
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LCRA's Mansfield Dam
Mansfield Dam is one LCRA's six dams. Once the major source of LCRA's electric generation capacity, now provide power at times of peak demand as water levels allow. When fully operational, the dams' generating stations can supply as much as 292 megawatts of green electric power.
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The Austin Green Energy Group staying true to our mission of enhancing our community and protect our environment through activities that preserve and conserve our natural resources embarked on a new Community Outreach Event Saturday September 10, 2011. Austn Green Energy Group (AGEG) members Bernie Johnson, Clara McGee, Duffy Thompson, Elana Kopel, Voiteh Yaroshevic, and Paul Frias volunteered to help out with various restoration projects at Austin's Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve.
Mayfield Park & Nature Preserve is a green oasis located in the middle of Austin, Texas. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, this estate was presented to the city of Austin in 1971 by Mary Mayfield Gutsch for all Austinites to enjoy as a park. It includes 2 acres of colorful cottage gardens with towering palm trees, brilliant peacocks and delicate water lilies, all blending in beautiful harmony, as well as 21 acres of nature preserve, walking trails and wildlife habitat.
We were greeted early that morning by Nadine Morning who oversees the park and many peacocks who reside there.
The bulk of the work included weeding gardens, adding compost and mulch, and building a retaining wall using limestone rocks and boulders.
Later that morning, Alana Moehring Mallard from the West Austin News, a community newspaper, interview our group for an article she was writing for the paper. That article is attached.
The group had a wonderful time connecting with nature while also interacting with other AGEG team members. Nadine was a gracious host and greatly appreciated our commitment and work. she says AGEG is more than welcome to return contribute to the park in the future.
You are invited to join us in making our community a better place to live. If you would like to volunteer your services or resources for this type of fulfilling event, contact Austin Green Energy Group's Community Outreach Program Director - Paul Frias (Paul@AustinGreenEnergyGroup.org) for upcoming opportunities to make a difference in our Austin community.