Event Solar Power

Silent Solar Power for Weddings, Parties, Concerts, Environmental Fairs, Education, and Other Activities
About Us
Home About Us Frequently Asked Questions Equipment
Specifications & Rates		 Photo Gallery Contact Us
Rent • Pay • E-mail
 
About Event Solar Power
Event Solar Power Early PV Array circa 2002
Our original solar electric systems (no longer in use).
 
Our adventure began in April, 2001, when the City of Dallas, Texas celebrated Earth Day at White Rock Lake Park. With hay bales and straw all over the grounds, and out of a concern for public safety, the City prohibited open flame of any sort at the event, so food vendors brought electric cookers instead. The entire event, including the sound stage, was powered from the utility grid. Grills, ovens, stoves, ice chests, popcorn poppers, and cotton candy machines were all plugged in. Adding to the electric load were an overhead projector in the presentation tent and high-power audio amplifiers on the sound stage. The resulting electrical overload tripped the main circuit breaker for that area of the park. Food stopped cooking, presentations ceased, and the sound stage went silent. Resetting the circuit breaker restored power to everything, which all turned back on, leading to the breaker tripping again moments later. Reset .. trip .. reset .. trip. The large breaker needed to cool before it could be re-set each time. Power was more off than on. Food couldn't be cooked .. and was wasted. Performers were angry. Worst of all, the main audio system was dead, so announcements could not be made about what was happening .. or why. A disgruntled public made their feelings known.
 
Thus was born an idea - provide future sound stages with totally independent, solar-derived power. What better way to celebrate Earth Day than to use the sun's own energy for such a key aspect of the event? Solar panels were obtained and attached to portable frames. Batteries were bought, installed in large carts, and connected to sine-wave inverters. The system began to take shape. In April, 2002, the Dallas Earth Day sound stage was powered for the entire day by 100% solar electricity, and the solar equipment never faltered, even when the event ran almost an hour overtime. This was also believed to be the first time a public sound stage was powered exclusively by solar electricity in the state of Texas.
 
For several years after, the solar equipment was expanded with more solar panels, bigger batteries, and larger inverters. The systems were used for a variety of purposes from powering Earth Day sound stages to providing emergency electricity for communications equipment in times of disaster.
 
In 2005, Don Young, founder and organizer of the Fort Worth Prairie Fest, contacted us as a prospective exhibitor at Prairie Fest. The call was directed to me. While talking with Don, I learned he was planning to rent a generator to provide power for their sound stage. I offered the use of my solar electric equipment instead .. free of charge .. no strings attached. After all, it makes no sense to us to run a large generator at an environmentally-themed event. The solar electric system provides power without the noise, cost, and shortcomings associated with gasoline and diesel-powered generators.
 
We've been powering Prairie Fest and many other events ever since.
 
 
So .. Why do we do this?
 
Good question.
 
Event Solar Power Early PV Array circa 2002
The "erector set" nature of our early systems (no longer in use).
As founder of Event Solar Power, I've been involved as a professional design engineer in the solar energy industry for more than 40 years. For most of that time, solar hardware on display at events and trade shows was relegated almost totally to "trinket" level items. Model planes and helicopters whose propellers were spun by electricity from a small solar cell or panel. Wind-up radios with "solar" backup. "Solar" flashlights. Solar yard-lights. Gadgets that moved or spun by sunlight and were "cute", but otherwise did nothing useful. To me, this was imparting a wrong image of what solar energy can do. I wanted to demonstrate the true picture. Sound stages seemed a logical choice, so we began with various environmental events .. and we provided the power for free for selected events.
 
Why for free? I didn't want budget limitations determining whether the solar equipment was selected for use or not (there have been instances where generators have been donated as well). Given the option .. and without issues of monetary consideration .. solar power is the easy winner. It's silent, environmentally friendly .. and fits perfectly with the theme of the events.
 
The solar equipment worked, but there were drawbacks. Though designed to be portable, the erector-set nature of the hardware made set-up and dismantling a time-consuming and arduous task. After 10 years of this, the equipment and I were showing our age. The old systems were donated to Habitat for Humanity, and new systems were constructed in 2009.
 
Dubbed the "Solar ShuttleTM" (after NASA's space shuttles to impart the idea of "portable" and futuristic), the solar trailer I designed and constructed is the next generation of portable event solar power, and a major upgrade from the previous systems. It addresses shortcomings of the previous designs. It's totally self-contained, and sets up in less than 20 minutes (compared to 90+ minutes for the old gear). It's weatherproof (rain and electricity don't mix), and can be secured from unwanted access.
 
With double the solar panel wattage and battery capacity of the old systems, plus 12,200 watts of sine-wave inverters, the Solar ShuttleTM serves a multitude of needs. Though its primary purpose began as an educational platform from which we could showcase and demonstrate a full-size portable photovoltaic system, it has grown beyond the original goal. When not powering events, the Solar ShuttleTM is a "working trailer", providing silent, maintenance-free electricity for emergency communications to search and rescue teams such as Texas Task Force One; at fund raisers such as the Methodist Hospital Cancer Research Center Wild Ride and Bike-A-Thon; at public events such as Earth Days throughout the Metroplex; to powering support services for community events such as the Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth, Texas, and many other functions. The Solar ShuttleTM also travels to schools, colleges, and universities to educate students about the abilities of solar power, giving them an opportunity to see up close a full-sized fully functional solar electric system that's capable of powering a modest energy-efficient home.
 
Solar power is no longer an "energy source of the future". It's an energy source for TODAY!
 
 
Dan Lepinski, Founder & General Manager
Event Solar Power
 
 
Keywords: (And yes .. we know they're not visible - or at least they're not supposed to be!)
Alternative. Audio. Band. Birthday. Concert. Dallas. DFW. DJ. Eco. Ecological. Electric. Electricity. Energy. Environmental. Event solar power. Fort Worth. Generator. Graduation. Green. Metroplex. Mobile. Mobile solar. Mobile Solar Power. Movie. Music. Outdoor. Party. Portable Power. Power. Quiet. Reception. Renewable. Silent. Solar. Sound stage. Soundstage. Sustainable. Texas. Trailer. Venue. Video. Wedding.  
 
Copyright © 2001, 2010, 2013 Event Solar Power. Fort Worth, Texas USA
All Rights Reserved.