Clean Energy Fair 2019

Thank you to all of our sponsors, vendors, presenters, volunteers, and Fair attendees for an incredibly successful Fair! In 2020 MREA will be celebrating our 20th anniversary as an organization and our 10th year organization the Montana Clean Energy Fair. To honor the occasion, we will be bringing the Fair back to Butte – where both MREA and the Fair were started. We can't be more excited – check back for more information this winter!

The 9th Annual Montana Clean Energy Fair will be returning to Bozeman, MT on Saturday, August 10th! RSVP on Facebook

To get updates on the Fair and all of MREA's latest happenings, join our mailing list.

FAIR QUICK LINKS:
Workshop Schedule | Kids Activities Schedule | Raffle Prizes
Online Sponsor and Vendor Registration | Sponsors

Never been to the Fair? Take a look at some of the photos from previous Fairs:

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Fair Workshop Schedule

The Workshops will take place through the day, starting at 10 am and running through 2:45 pm.

10:00 am: Solar Electricity Basics and Grid-tied Energy Storage (Exhibit Building # 2)
Dan Perata, Independent Power Systems
Think solar is expensive? When’s the last time you checked? Solar photovoltaic costs have dropped dramatically over the last 5 years, and there's never been a better time to produce your own power from the sun. What’s more, pairing solar with energy storage is becoming a key way to increase the economics and resiliency of your system. Learn the ins and outs about using solar and/or storage to produce your own energy.

10:00 am: Efficient Water Heating Options for Home and Business (Exhibit Building # 3)
Mark Jensen, Big M Construction
Water heating uses up to a third of a building’s energy demand. With lower-cost solar PV and new innovative water heaters, there are many ways to improve on the standard inefficient water heating systems. This session will review water heating technologies and compare tank vs. tankless, electric vs. gas, heat pump water heaters, and solar thermal vs. solar PV to help determine what makes most sense in your home or business.

11:00 am: Smart Solar Shopping (Exhibit Building # 2)
Ben Brouwer, Montana Energy Office, Department of Environmental Quality
How do I even begin if I’m thinking about buying solar electricity to offset my power bill? Learn how to set appropriate solar goals for your home or business, estimate costs, find a contractor, and review solar bids. This session is a must for anyone who’s interested in the exciting market of solar energy.

11:00 am: Large-scale Renewables and Utility Planning (Exhibit Building # 3)
Brian Fadie, Montana Environmental Information Center; Mark Reller, Bonneville Power Administration
Montana has tremendous wind and solar resources, which are being harnessed by large scale wind and solar projects across the state. Recently, the State of Montana partnered with the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) on the Montana Renewable Development Action Plan to explore the opportunities and barriers of renewable resource development in Montana. Join our experts to learn what’s on the horizon for large-scale wind and solar development in the state.

12:00 pm: Financing and Incentives for your Renewable Energy System (Exhibit Building # 2)
Ben Brouwer, Montana Energy Office, Department of Environmental Quality; Paul Herendeen, Missoula Federal Credit Union
There’s no such thing as a free lunch, but there are incentives, tax credits, low interest loans, and other programs that can help you finance your renewable energy project. Find out which incentives will work for you, and see how your investment will net returns.

12:00 pm: Electric Vehicles Show-and-Tell (Exhibit Building # 3)
Kyla Maki, Montana Department of Environmental Quality
Get the low-down on electric cars and what they have to offer you and your community. In addition to going over technology options and charging, learn about the Montana Solar Powered Transportation Initiative and the future of solar powered electric transportation. This workshop ends with a hands-on show and tell from EV car owners – this electric car show is a truly unique event for Montanans!

1:00 pm: Off-Grid Living (Exhibit Building # 2)
Henry Dykema, Sundance Solar Systems
Trying to power an RV, cabin or a remote home? Or just wanting to be more self-sufficient? Learn the basics of off-grid technologies, such as battery storage and load management, and hear first-hand what it takes to cut the power cord.

1:00 pm: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in the Bozeman Community (Exhibit Building # 3)
Natalie Meyer, City of Bozeman; Kristin Blackler, Montana State University; Connie Campbell-Pearson, St. James Episcopal Church
The City of Bozeman is experiencing large development and not just in population growth. From the city to the university, to schools and churches, folks across the entire community are working to increase solar adoption and energy efficiency programs in order to save money, decrease harmful emissions, and make the Bozeman community more resilient. Hear about past, present, and future projects, including an important update to Bozeman’s Climate Action Plan.

2:00 pm: Renewable Energy Policy & Regulation (Exhibit Building # 2)
Brian Fadie, Montana Environmental Information Center; Cody Ferguson, Northern Plains Resource Council
In 2019 Montana experienced a legislative session that did little to shift the energy landscape in Montana, though not for lack of trying. Learn about the good, the bad, and the ugly from our latest legislative session. In addition, the Montana Public Service Commission is in the middle of deliberating on a rate increase request from Northwestern Energy that could drastically change the future of rooftop solar in Montana. Join this session to get all the updates from the past year.

2:00 pm: Best Practices for Net-Zero Homes (Exhibit Building # 3)
Susan Bilo, Green Compass Sustainability Consulting; Barbara Miller, National Affordable Housing Network
What would it be like to live in a house where your net energy use - not just your energy bill - was zero? Learn what a Net Zero Energy (NZE) Home is and the best practices for a successful design. Discover how the practices were implemented for the Mountain Horizon's (NZE-Ready) solar subdivision in Whitehall, Montana. Prepare to be inspired, and plan to join us after the Fair for a field-trip and tour to a nearby net zero energy home!

3:00 – 3:20: Raffle Prizes -- Electric Bicycle Grand Prize (Exhibit Building # 2)
Don’t forget to stop by the Montana Renewable Energy Association booth any time before 3:00 pm and enter a raffle for the chance to win great prizes, including your own electric ‘vehicle’ – an electric bicycle valued at over $1,000! Our Grand Prize is a E-ride Electric Mountain Bike from Hyper Bicycles. This 26”, 6-speed bike has a top speed of approx. 20mph, and charges is just about 4 hours. Electric bikes, also known as e-bikes, are just starting to catch on in the U.S. but they’re already wildly popular in China and Europe – in the Netherlands, for example, one in every five bicycles sold is an e-bike. Other prizes include items from local businesses, breweries, and restaurants! You can buy raffle tickets at the MREA booth. You must be present to win.

4:00 – 5:00: Solar Home Tour
After the fair, get an in-depth experience with a solar array! Visit a true Net Zero Energy (NZE) building just down the road from the fair. This ultra-low-energy building produces as much energy as it consumes on a net annual basis and showcases a number of fascinating features: grid-tied solar pv, super insulated, solar hot water, air-to-water heat pump, EV car charging, and much more. Get all the details at the MREA booth at the Fair, or during our Best Practices for Net-Zero Homes workshop.

Kids Activities Schedule

The Fair features fun and educational activities for kids. We will have face painting, a coloring and drawing station and a bouncy castle. Plus we will have workshops on solar cooking (bake cookies in a solar oven) and model solar car assembly and races!

All-Day Activities (9 am to 3:30 pm)

Bouncy Castle
Face Painting
Coloring and Drawing Station

11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Solar Cooking (recommended for ages 6 and up)
Build your very own pizza box solar oven and cook up some treats!

12:00 – 1:00 pm: Recycled Art Projects (recommended for ages 6 and up)
Create works of art from commonly used household items!

1:00 – 2:30 pm: Model Solar Car Assembly and Racing (recommended for ages 8 and up)
Build a model solar racing car from kits provided by MREA. Races will be ongoing as models are completed, with awards for all racers! Want to keep your racing car? Kits can be purchased for $5 at the main MREA booth.

Raffle Items

Don’t forget to stop by the Montana Renewable Energy Association booth any time before 2:45 pm and enter a raffle for the chance to win many great prizes including your own electric bicycle valued at over $1,000! Raffle prizes at the fair will include:

Assorted items from the Patagonia Outlet in Dillon
Brewery swag from Bridger Brewing, Bozeman Brewing Company, and Mountains Walking Brewery
Gift cards to Montana Ale Works and the Community Food Co-op, Bozeman
A "Cafe Package" of gifts from the Nova Cafe, Feed cafe, Lot G Cafe, and the Daily Coffee & Eatery
Tune up for your skis or bike from Summit Bike & Ski
Gifts baskets from Wild Joes Coffee Spot, Wildrye Distilling, Dee-O-Gee BZN, Townshend's Bozeman Teahouse, Wild Birds Unlimited, and more!
Plus our *GRAND PRIZE*: A Hyper E-ride Electric Hybrid Bike, 26" Wheels, 36 Volt Battery, 20+ Mile Range

Sponsors, Exhibitors, Food Vendors, and Car-show Registration

There are four ways to participate in the Fair:

Sponsorship Opportunities: Sponsoring the Clean Energy Fair gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to renewable energy and gain exposure for your business. A variety of sponsorship packages are available.
Exhibitors: We have spaces available for businesses and organizations in the fields of renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainability, or related topics to display information and/or demonstrate their products.
Auto Dealers and Car Owners: The fair will feature a car show showcasing electric vehicles. There is a two-vehicle limit for commercial auto dealers. Private owners please contact us for information about showing your car.
Food Vendors: We are also seeking food vendors to participate in the fair.

Download the Sponsor and Exhibitor Form or FIll out the form online

Payment information is available on the Sponsor Form. You can also pay online here.