A workshop for local homeowners interested in residential solar-energy installations will be offered on Saturday, January 12, from 10 AM to noon in the Proctor Academy Chapel on the Village Green in Andover. The workshop will be open to the public at no charge.

Arranged by the Andover Energy Group, the workshop will be led by Stephen Condon, sales manager of ReVision Energy of Portland, Maine and Exeter, New Hampshire, a leading installer of solar electric and solar hot-water systems in northern New England.

The purpose of the workshop is to help interested local property-owners learn more about the technology and economics of residential solar energy, including the economics of group purchases. Refreshments will be served.

Condon, the workshop leader, is a University of New Hampshire graduate who grew up in a passive solar home built by his father in the 1970s. After graduation he spent five years building homes, some including solar installations, in northern California. Since returning to New Hampshire in 2008, his main interest has been in reducing northern New England’s dependence on fossil energy with the use of active solar energy systems.

During the workshop, Condon will answer such questions as: Have you thought about solar hot water or solar electricity for your home or business, but not known where to begin? How do these systems work? How much will a system cost? Is my site good for solar? How reliable are these systems? Can I really expect a good return on investment since I live in New England?

Attendees will also see an installed solar electric system at Proctor Academy and will be able to get answers to any other questions about solar in general or specific situations.

With more than 3,000 installations completed since 2003, ReVision Energy is Maine and New Hampshire’s leading installer of grid-tied solar electric and solar hot-water renewable energy systems. A full-service company, it offers in-house design, engineering, installation, and service with a staff of licensed and insured technicians and engineers. Recent local project include major installations at Andover’s Proctor Academy and at Colby-Sawyer College in New London.

The Andover Energy Group is an informal organization of volunteers interested in learning about and implementing renewable energy sources and energy-efficiency techniques in local homes, businesses, and institutions. For more information, contact Larry Chase at LBChase@nullaol.com.