Letter from the Founder, 

Wes Golomb

“Solar Coaster”

I’ve been interested in sustainable energy since the 60’s.  In college I helped to organize the first Earth Day in Boston, I also helped build several solar greenhouses.  After grad school where I studied environmental science, I taught high school science, and like any good American teacher, I needed a second job.

My interests led me to energy, and I became the second ‘certified’ energy auditor in New Hampshire, and opened up my own business called Warm Homes. We did energy auditing and retrofits, built solar greenhouses and installed solar hot water systems.

Back in 1980, Sears began selling Solar Hot Water, and for a while selling for them I worked. In those days calculators were a big thing, and they offered ‘free’ solar calculators for listening to my schpiel…..

Sears sold really good quality solar hot water systems some of which are still operating today 40 years later. When Reagan was elected, he removed the solar panels from the White House and cut the tax credits for energy conservation and solar.  Instead, of displaying leadership, setting a positive example, and taking what would have been the first true steps against climate change, Reagan  built an overwhelming military presence in the mid-east.  He propped up the house of Sand, and Sadam Hussein both petrodictators, in power because of US not indigenous support. This had the intended effect, at least temporarily bring the price of oil down, and the sustainable energy industry to its knees. It also set in motion the rebellion against US domination we continue to see today.

Since that time we’ve seen a similar pattern. When there is a Democratic administration, there is interest, when the republicans are in, not so much.  We see this in the extreme today with an administration which denies the existence of climate change and is rolling back most of the environmental progress made by the last administration.

Hence the name of this essay, “Solar Coaster”.

Skip forward 30 years, I’m directing the first sustainable energy degree program in the Northeast, my interest in energy has turned into obsession.  I did a deep energy retrofit on my house which cut my energy consumption, and added solar (PV) to the roof which generates about 90% of my electricity needs. Somewhere around this time my obsession became obvious to my students who began calling me The Energy Geek, the name as you can see stuck.

If you’re interested in more details regarding my experience.  You’ll find them below.

Thanks for visiting my website. I hope you find it useful.

Wes Golomb
The Energy Geek