Solar Power

The promise of Solar Power

When we hear the word "solar," thoughts of "green energy" and even "free energy" often spring to mind. Yet, it's important to recognize that solar power systems can be costly, and the return on investment isn't immediate—especially compared to the low costs of grid-supplied electricity.

At Burning Man, however, the situation is quite different. Here, there is no grid. The predominant sources of power are gasoline-powered generators. Some camps deploy massive, industrial generators that are not only expensive to transport but also consume large quantities of gasoline. Unfortunately, these generators contribute to environmental pollution through noise, odors, and harmful emissions.

In the unique setting of Burning Man, adopting solar energy offers a distinct advantage. Solar power provides a quiet, clean energy source that doesn't emit noise or pollutants. This means it can be set up anywhere, allowing participants to enjoy their music and conversations without interruption. Moreover, solar energy enhances self-reliance—a crucial benefit, particularly in hypothetical apocalyptic scenarios where gasoline might become scarce. Unlike gasoline, sunlight is an ever-abundant, freely available resource.

How it performed in 2023

Let's just start by saying it's a good thing we had backup generators, for several reasons:

1. We miscalculated our power draw, and due to the radio station we operated, as well as a massive antenna covered in LED lights, we drew more power than originally anticipated.
2. The weather got weird and we had clouds & rain, which resulted in the now famous mudpocalypse.

However during the sunny days of the event it performed fantastically well, and we enjoyed noise-free days (as well as the knowledge and satisfaction of knowing were getting ample power from the sun!).

During the day, our battery bank was being charged while the panels powered several air conditioning units, a small ice making machine, a charging station for phones & batteries, lights, fans, and god knows what else.

The peak output from the panels was: <please fill in>

The batteries would last until around 2am. <please correct if wrong>

Existing hardware

The camp currently owns the following hardware:

Item name	Description	Quantity

New hardware requirements for 2024

Mounting kit

Jack is proposing we purchase mounting equipment from this company https://integrarack.com/ 

Their mounting mechanism makes it quick and easy to install solar panels. Their products can be purchased here:

https://solarpowerdistributors.com/product/ir30-ballasted-ground-mount-racking-system/

Jack estimates around $1500 for the full kit.

Extra Batteries

While we do not plan to run a radio station in 2024, I still think we need to expand our battery bank if we want to run 24/7 with not ever needing to start an ICE based generator. I do think we should bring them with us, as an emergency, but ideally we should be able to avoid using them throughout the entire length of the event.