RESIDENTIAL: Sizzlin’ off the press: Senior Planet Montgomery launches their virtual summer programming. Through virtual workshops at libraries, community and senior centers through Montgomery County, Senior Planet will offer sessions for older adults focused on user-friendly tools and resources so residents can utilize energy-saving technologies to improve their daily lives. There are many ways technology can improve or assist energy conservation–whether it’s monitoring your energy usage, paying your utility bill online, or finding energy inefficiencies in your home. Check out an online workshop today.

RESIDENCIAL: Viernes 23 de julio (12:00pm) Aprende de la tecnología solar, economía, incentivos y cómo funcionan las compras colectivas (‘cooperativas solares’) de Solar United Neighbors. Nuestra sesión informativa sobre energía solar se divide en tres partes.  Durante la primera parte discutimos lo que es la tecnología solar, cual es el equipo que va en su techo y cómo funcionan. Durante la segunda unidad discutimos cómo funciona nuestro modelo de compra colectiva al por mayor y como usted se beneficia de este modelo, y cómo unirse al grupo.  Por último discutimos los costos y valores de la energía solar para que usted pueda tomar una decisión informada. Regístrate gratis en aquí

RESIDENTIAL: Are you interested in going solar but still unsure of your options? SaveOnEnergy® has put together a comprehensive article about everything you need to know about a Solar Power Purchase agreement. A solar power purchase agreement (PPA) is when a developer pays to install a solar energy system on a homeowner’s property and sells the solar energy to the homeowner at a fixed rate. There are many options for going solar – join the Capital Area Solar Co-op, participate in a Community Solar project, finance your panels through the Montgomery County Green Bank or go with the Solar PPA. This article will help answer your questions.

COMMERCIAL: The Maryland Public Services Commission issued Order No. 88514, granting all Maryland utilities the ability to increase their Small Business Program Eligibility threshold from 60 kW to 100 kW. The utilities have all been tracking this development for some time and are excited to share this news with you! The change will take effect July 7, 2021, and they will be using the peak kW over the past 12 months. Contact your utility if you have any questions or concerns. 

COMMERCIAL: Ruby Clark is a content writer who loves writing about many things including the environment. In this article, she provides businesses with tips on how to work toward an eco-friendly path. Some of the ways you can use to put your business on an eco-friendly path include reducing items, sourcing sustainable materials, donating what you don't need, reducing your water usage, lowering your energy costs, implementation of recycling and compost measures, prioritizing reusable office supplies, building sustainable relationships, and encouraging employees to switch up their commute, www.mygreenmontgomery.org

COUNTY: While MCPS may be out for the summer, there is no need for students to pause their climate education. Numerous organizations are offering affordable, virtual camps and workshops focused on the environment and climate change. These educational opportunities are a great way for your student to begin or continue building their knowledge of climate issues. Find out more here.

RESIDENTIAL: World Conservation Day is July 28th. It is a day to increase awareness about the best practices to protect our natural resources. One way to conserve energy at home every day is by taking a few simple steps to reduce your energy use. You can learn how by watching our Montgomery Energy Sing-A-Long video!

The Montgomery County Energy Team receives tons of newsletters and articles every day, and these are a few articles that we wanted to share this month. These articles range from county, state, national and international stories, we hope you find them as interesting as we did.

Air Source Heat Pumps: Modern air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) are fantastic technologies, and they can provide reliable, efficient, clean, affordable, and sustainable heating and cooling when done well and in the right application, www.swinter.com

Clean Jobs: Ten jobs that will help shape a zero-emissions future where Everyone uses their hands, head and heart to do their jobs well, www.grist.org

Corporate Clean Energy: Companies are investing in clean energy in a big way. In the past year, there have been two record-breaking quarters in renewable procurement deals, contracts signed by corporations to build solar and wind to power their operations, www.greenbiz.com

Energy Grid: A variety of approaches are springing up that aim to provide such services in order to maintain and accelerate the pace of renewable adoption, www.renewableenergyworld.com

Food:  Schools might be the public infrastructure that is scaling the plant-based ecosystem, lowering the carbon footprint of food production, www.greenbiz.com

Solar: The Black Rock Road Solar Project, led by Distributed Solar Development, wants to create a solar farm at 16952 Black Rock Road, www.dc.urbanturf.com

Tesla: A partnership with Tesla Energy and Dacra would deliver "the first Tesla Solar neighborhood," near Austin, Texas, www.dc.urbanturf.com

Trees: Jesse Buff, with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, authored a new report after cataloguing the vines present on every single city block in Takoma Park, www.dcist.com

 Waste to Energy: Using a toilet can pay for your coffee or buy you bananas at a university in South Korea, where human waste is being used to help power a building, www.reuters.com

FEATURED EVENT: Energy Express – From Fossils to Fuels of the Future. 
The fifth year of Energy Express began on June 17, 2021 for this energy journey where we tell the tale of energy from fossils to fuels of the future. We have presentations on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays until August 3, 2021 and you can pick up a Dynamite Dino Energy Kit before or after this program at one of the following libraries: Aspen Hill, Connie Morella, Damascus, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, and Wheaton.