We're very excited about this year's event. Most of the homes are on the tour for the very first time, but there are also perennial favorites. The Sheldon home in Coupeville is a finalist for the US Department of Energy's 2009 National Energy Value Housing Award. Eric Shen & Betty Carteret in Anacortes are experts in conservation. The Stanley home in Maxwelton Creek Co-housing features a little bit of everything.

Have a look at solarwashington.org/tour/ for features and photos of all the sites. Printable maps are online at at our main page. There are three maps; one for South Whidbey, one for Central/North Whidbey, and one for Anacortes/Guemes. We can harness the clean, abundant renewable resources of sun, wind, and water and it's becoming increasingly obvious that we must.

Saturday is also the first day of the Whidbey Island Farm Tour. Visit whidbeyfarmtour.wordpress.com for more information. With a little pre-planning you can easily take in some of the sites on both the Solar Tour and the Farm Tour. Learn about renewable energy AND become a locavore … a double dose of sustainability!

Organizations for both pro and anti PUD groups also have websites: People for Yes on Whidbey PUD is available online at www.whidbeypud.org
Whidbey Consumers for Affordable Energy is online at www.nowhidbeypuddist1.org

Both pro and anti positions have been thoroughly covered. All that we can add to the conversation is what a PUD might mean for solar power users and generators. Net metering is mandated by law. Whether Whidbey gets power from PSE or a PUD will have no effect on net metering. Nor would a change from PSE to a PUD have any effect on Green Tags. Production incentives would be impacted. Some PUD's currently pay production incentives, others do not. Initially a Whidbey PUD would not have the funds to pay production incentives. Whether it would or would not in the future is unknowable.

A gentle reminder/bit of shameless promotion … a solar photovoltaic system is a hedge against rising electricity costs and an excellent investment.

• Given the financial crisis, it's a safe bet that the federal tax credit for renewable energy will not be extended by this Congress this year. As it stands now, the $2000 tax credit for installation of a renewable energy system expires January 1, 2009.

• Washington-made solar modules are not yet available. We still don't have a definitive availability date. Kelly is at the Northwest Solar Summit right now so we hope to have more information shortly. In the meantime, we're checking silicon-energy.com daily for updates.

• The demand for solar panels worldwide is having an effect on our supply. If you are planning a solar PV system installation in 2008, call now. It is taking us up to a month to get panels from our suppliers.

• We maintain a calendar of events at whidbeysunwind.com/events.html

• Don't forget to VOTE on Tuesday, November 4!