ABOUTSCC / CURRENT / SIGNUP / ARCHIVES / DISCUSSION GROUP
All Sebastopol Carbon Conversations are held at the Sebastopol Grange (click here for Map) unless otherwise noted.
All Conversations start at 7pm with doors open at 6:30pm, unless otherwise noted.
After the event, recordings and other resources will be accessible via the Archives page.
Email Tor with any questions: carbon@rahus.org
May 6th, 2026 – Solar + Battery Box
Post event summary: There were ~ 25 folks that attended on May 6th. ~12 assembled a ~ 200watt experienced solar panel with cable & connector to take home and begin charging their existing Portable Battery Box (PBB) or one they plan to purchase sometime soon. There is no recording and no slides posted from this carbon conversation workshop. This first workshop provided a working solar panel to 12 families. We’ll incorporate lessons learned when we repeat this workshop in the months ahead but haven’t set any dates yet. To receive direct notification regarding upcoming dates via email be sure to add your contact info to the SCC email list. If you’d like to organize this workshop for an audience of your choice, and have some funding, contact Tor at carbon@rahus.org to inquire. We can provide experienced solar panels, cable, connectors…while participants provide their own PBBs, or another source provides PBBs to participants.
There continues to be a wave of solar modules (panels) being retired early from various projects. The most common reason is to upgrade with more efficient solar panels to get more power in the same footprint. The retired solar panels still work fine and probably have another 15 years of service to provide. Repurposing them is better than recycling or trashing them. Combining with a PBB for emergency and routine uses is one possibility. We’ll continue to develop instructions for DIYers and plan to host one or more workshops later this Summer/Fall.
An interesting article showed up via the Press Democrat May 10th about how PBBs are being used in New York to power plug-in AC units in apartments, to help when the grid is strained. An interesting idea for utilizing PBBs for other than emergency situations.
Questions? contact email carbon@rahus.org
Archived from 2025
Archived from 2024
Archived from Fall 2023
Archived from Spring 2023
Sebastopol Carbon Conversations is organized by The Rahus Institute and hosted by the Sebastopol Grange. The series takes a closer look at the many solutions for reversing global warming as presented in Project Drawdown and other sources. We’ll learn from local organizations that are working on Climate solutions in agriculture, renewable energy, reducing waste, empowering women, transportation, building design, carbon sequestration, and more. Through this exploration, we’ll discover where we each can take small to large steps and help shape a better future.
What you and I can do about Climate Change. Finding our role in shaping the future.