When the power goes out in Arlington, Virginia, people often gather at Scott Sklar’s house.
Sklar: “I’ve had pictures of, you know, 30 cellphones being charged on my dining room table and 18 bags of medicines in my refrigerator, and my neighbors on a very hot or cold night, sitting in my house.”
That’s because Sklar’s home and detached office never lose power.
He generates clean energy using a mix of several technologies – solar panels, solar roof shingles, a wind turbine, and a hydrogen fuel cell. And he stores excess power in a bank of batteries.
Sklar’s been a renewable energy enthusiast since the ‘70s and loves sharing his knowledge. He gives tours of his home and office. And he visits colleges in a van he outfitted with solar, wind, and batteries.
Sklar: “The kids in the neighborhood call it the ‘Back to the Future van.’”
Sklar also works as a consultant, helping businesses transition to clean, resilient energy technologies.
Sklar: “Now that we’re in a climate change revved world, where we’re seeing more outages for longer durations … that energy resiliency is going to be a must.”
So he hopes to show people the many benefits of clean energy.
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
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