Nebraska's Leading Solar and Small Wind Installer!
Dixon Power Workshops
Not only do we specialize in the design and installation of renewable energy systems, but we also enjoy teaching installation practices to members of the public! Yes, we periodically have solar installation workshops for interested people to learn more about solar installation and design. Contact us for more information and see if we'll be conducting a workshop soon!
Our workshops are for people from all walks of life. We don't work the students too hard and we always take time to explain every step of the solar installation. Typical workshops are 5 days in length and consist of 2 days of lecture and 3 days of hands-on building. We'll cut, drill, wrench, grind and dig all to the tune of preserving today for a better tomorrow.
Dixon Power Systems works in cooperation with the University of Nebraska's extension office to hold the solar workshops. Mr. John Hay of the UNL Extension Office and Jon Dixon of Dixon Power Systems have worked together on a number of projects, including small wind and solar array installations. Dixon Power Systems wants to thank John Hay and the University of Nebraska for their continued support.
Hands On Learning
Solar Fundamentals and System Design
Solar Economics and Applications
What should you expect at a solar installation workshop with Dixon Power Systems? Typically, we do a mix of lecture and hands on lab time. We'll start with an introduction into solar electric technology and the various stages of it's development over the past decades. We'll discuss the various components required for solar systems to operate in parallel with the utility grid or in an off-grid fashion. And go over the economics to be evaluated when considering a solar installation. Then we'll get our hands dirty and build an actual solar array which we'll fully install and turn-on to create energy from the power of the sun. Contact us with any questions and we'll be happy to answer them.
During our solar workshops, we take the time during installations to explain the details of a solar system installation. Everything from a site survey using a Solar Pathfinder to array layout and racking design for wind loads and soil conditions. We'll cover the basics for energy generation estimates and shading factors to the photovoltaic effect and the solar potential in Nebraska. Solar arrays can be found on roof tops, ground mounted and even mounted atop and to the side of poles. We'll cover all the differences to consider and how to decide which system is best for given applications.
When purchasing a solar array, the buyer is in effect buying their electricity up-front at a fixed cost for the life of the system. There are many financial considerations with renewable energies. There's a federal tax credit, USDA loans and grants, even low-interest loans available from the Nebraska Energy Office. Dixon Power Systems workshops will cover all the available grants, loans, net-metering and other financial incentives. To learn more about resources on the internet click on our resources tab.