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To Catch The Sun - a new solar power book - Kickstarter

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There's a new Kickstarter that you might be interested in checking out. To Catch The Sun is a book of inspiring stories of communities coming together to harness their own solar energy, with the nitty-gritty details so you can do it as well.



Learn (or learn more) how to design and build a photovoltaic system for engagements like:
☼ A small home in a financially rich location or a few homes in a financially poor location
☼ School rooms and community spaces
☼ Zombie-apocalypse equipment
☼ Laptop and cellphone chargers
☼ A tiny home or #vanlife
☼ Glamping and backpacking equipment
☼ Emergency supply, e.g., powering an oxygen machine during power outages
☼ Isolated loads like electric gates, pumps, greenhouse fans, backup generators, and telecommunications equipment
☼ Supporting permaculture projects where you need to capture and/or store just the right amount of energy



We need your help to bring this book to a reality. The writing of the book is done. Now we need money for design, layout, printing, distributing, and translating.  Which is why we are asking for your financial support to make it beautiful, more accessible, and less expensive! Also, supporting the Kickstarter gets you the best deals on the paperback.

This is a book for people looking to build a better future together, that includes:
☼ Inspiring stories: Real life accounts of building solar power in communities.
☼ Technical details: Straightforward descriptions of solar components and diagrams of systems, replete with real examples (many from the systems described in the stories).
☼ Math and science: Easy-to-follow math that allows readers to size small photovoltaic systems for all types of environments and uses.

The content has gone through multiple reviews, including academic peer reviews and edits by friends, students, colleagues, and kind professionals. It is ready for the world!... once we raise the money and finish these last important components. With your support we did this a few years ago with a book on rainwater catchment called To Catch the Rain.



If you are interested in contributing to this worthy endeavor, please check out our Kickstarter Campaign.

Your contributions are greatly appreciated!
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Kate Downham
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Looks like a good resource for understanding and building small-scale DIY solar.

Natural Small Batch Cheesemaking A Year in an Off-Grid Kitchen Backyard Dairy Goats My website @NourishingPermaculture

 
paul wheaton
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backed.

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

 
Lonny Grafman
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Kate Downham wrote:Looks like a good resource for understanding and building small-scale DIY solar.


Thanks! That is what we are going for.

Enjoy!

 
Lonny Grafman
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Thanks for your rad support!

Enjoy!

 
Keith Pagett
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BACKED IT! Also picked up the first book in the series as an add on!
 
Jane Mulberry
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Looks excellent! I backed it.

I'm only 64! That's not to old to learn to be a permie, right?

 
paul wheaton
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Lonny,

How much has the permies empire brought to your book so far?

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

 
Lonny Grafman
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Doh. I missed this notification a few days ago. Let me make a post about this now below!

Enjoy!

 
Lonny Grafman
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Hello Permies!

You have currently brought in $283 with 13 pledges to the campaign. If this gets to $4,000 we will give a big shout out to the permies.com community in the book!

Enjoy!

 
paul wheaton
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Lonny Grafman wrote:Hello Permies!

You have currently brought in $283 with 13 pledges to the campaign. If this gets to $4,000 we will give a big shout out to the permies.com community in the book!



Lonny, please tell us more about this big shout out!  How big are we talkin' here?  A half page?  A full page?

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

 
Lonny Grafman
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paul wheaton wrote:

Lonny Grafman wrote:Hello Permies!

You have currently brought in $283 with 13 pledges to the campaign. If this gets to $4,000 we will give a big shout out to the permies.com community in the book!



Lonny, please tell us more about this big shout out!  How big are we talkin' here?  A half page?  A full page?



We're talking a half page shared with Appropedia as go to resource places for discussions, details, AND active communities of people making awesome stuff!
(especially cool since these were the two communities that helped us raise the most money!)

Enjoy!

 
paul wheaton
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Smooth!   I upped my pledge!

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

 
Lonny Grafman
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paul wheaton wrote:Smooth!   I upped my pledge!



Sweet!

Enjoy!

 
Lonny Grafman
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Lonny Grafman wrote:

paul wheaton wrote:

Lonny Grafman wrote:Hello Permies!

You have currently brought in $283 with 13 pledges to the campaign. If this gets to $4,000 we will give a big shout out to the permies.com community in the book!



Lonny, please tell us more about this big shout out!  How big are we talkin' here?  A half page?  A full page?



We're talking a half page shared with Appropedia as go to resource places for discussions, details, AND active communities of people making awesome stuff!
(especially cool since these were the two communities that helped us raise the most money!)



Woot. This has already over doubled. Permies is now at $664 of referrals!  Two days left for the best deal and perks at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lonnyg/to-catch-the-sun?ref=3mpijr .

Enjoy!

 
Bill Erickson
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I pledged for this and added the Rainwater collection one to it as well. I'm Wardog on the Kickstarter.

"...specialization is for insects." - Lazarus Long
Universal Introduction to Permies
How Permies.com works

 
Lonny Grafman
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Bill Erickson wrote:I pledged for this and added the Rainwater collection one to it as well. I'm Wardog on the Kickstarter.


Hi Wardog!

I see you on there. How cool. Thanks!

Enjoy!

 
Lonny Grafman
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Lonny Grafman wrote:

Lonny Grafman wrote:

paul wheaton wrote:

Lonny Grafman wrote:Hello Permies!

You have currently brought in $283 with 13 pledges to the campaign. If this gets to $4,000 we will give a big shout out to the permies.com community in the book!



Lonny, please tell us more about this big shout out!  How big are we talkin' here?  A half page?  A full page?



We're talking a half page shared with Appropedia as go to resource places for discussions, details, AND active communities of people making awesome stuff!
(especially cool since these were the two communities that helped us raise the most money!)



Woot. This has already over doubled. Permies is now at $664 of referrals!  Two days left for the best deal and perks at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lonnyg/to-catch-the-sun?ref=3mpijr .



You all are on fire: Permies is now at $1,125.00!

Enjoy!

 
Paul Fookes
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This book is a great starting point for those who wish to get into self sustainability and for communities.
I had to do a pledge so my money is where my mouth is.   Could not see anywhere to link with Permies?
Thanks for bringing this forward on Permies👌✔😷  Please stay safe

Failure is a stepping stone to success. Failing is not quitting - Stopping trying is
Never retire every one thinks you have more time to help them - We have never been so busy

 
Carla Burke
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Backed

"The only thing...more expensive than education is ignorance."~Ben Franklin
"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." ~ Plato

 
Kw Velasco
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Backed -  I pledged for this and added the Rainwater collection one to it also.

I have gladly supported 11 of Paul's Kickstarters
~~~ Just trying to better my soil & food ~ while in my hot Mediterranean climate

 
Kw Velasco
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Help Lonnie !!

I thought that I backed your Kickstarter last night - but I still have not received the confirmation email.

I just got on Kickstarter and did not see my pledge - but tried to do it again

BUT it did not work properly - it is stalled!

Help

I have gladly supported 11 of Paul's Kickstarters
~~~ Just trying to better my soil & food ~ while in my hot Mediterranean climate

 
Kw Velasco
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I just tried it again - AND IT FINALLY WENT THROUUGHHH !!! Wahoo

I got both books for my library : )

I have gladly supported 11 of Paul's Kickstarters
~~~ Just trying to better my soil & food ~ while in my hot Mediterranean climate

 
Ken Parker
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Backed.  Hopefully this book will help me gain a real, working knowledge enough to finally install my own panels.
 
Lonny Grafman
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Paul Fookes wrote:This book is a great starting point for those who wish to get into self sustainability and for communities.
I had to do a pledge so my money is where my mouth is.   Could not see anywhere to link with Permies?
Thanks for bringing this forward on Permies👌✔😷  Please stay safe


Thank you! The URL automatically links it to Permies.

Enjoy!

 
Lonny Grafman
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Ken Parker wrote:Backed.  Hopefully this book will help me gain a real, working knowledge enough to finally install my own panels.


Hi Ken! I hope so too! Please make sure to post photos when the time comes.

Enjoy!

 
Lonny Grafman
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Kw Velasco wrote:I just tried it again - AND IT FINALLY WENT THROUUGHHH !!! Wahoo

I got both books for my library : )



Great! I just moved back into my studio and put my library back up. It brings me a lot of happiness.

Enjoy!

 
Lonny Grafman
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...and now we are at $1,708.00!! Nice work Permies. 41 hours remaining!  :)

Enjoy!

 
Joshua Rimmer
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I backed, for the early access PDF. Where are the addons I see mentioned? Do I need to be at a higher level? I use the same name here and on Kickstarter.
 
paul wheaton
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Another mention in the dailyish today.  I hope we get that $4000!

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

 
Joshua Rimmer
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That's what got me to look at it!
 
Lonny Grafman
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Hi Joshua,

Thanks. Unfortunately the addons are only available at the Sunshine - Paperback ($26) level and above. I think this is because of the shipping. In case you are interested, Kickstarter does make it easy to up your level! :)

Enjoy!

 
Lonny Grafman
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paul wheaton wrote:Another mention in the dailyish today.  I hope we get that $4000!



And now at $2,464.00... You all are on it!

Enjoy!

 
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Thanks for curating kickstarters for us, Paul Saw this on the dailyish; pledged for both books. Wish you much success, Lonny.
 
paul wheaton
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Kevin D Roberts wrote:Thanks for curating kickstarters for us, Paul Saw this on the dailyish; pledged for both books. Wish you much success, Lonny.



I think this is one of the many reasons that permies exists - together we grow a better world.  

And Lonny been a bit more generous in giving to the world than most, so I like the idea that we direct even more attention to his projects.

Here is a fun chart:  http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/lonnyg/to-catch-the-sun/#chart-daily

My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!

 
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I pledged but wasn't sure how to indicate that Permies gets credit for the referral.

randyeggert.com

 
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Alright Permies... Today is the last day, and you are at $2,875 of $4,000! We flew past our 2x funding goal, in part due to your awesomeness this last few days.


Enjoy!

 
Joshua Rimmer
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That answers my question perfectly, I'll jump on there and see if I want any addons enough to up my pledge!
 
Lonny Grafman
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Joshua Rimmer wrote:That answers my question perfectly, I'll jump on there and see if I want any addons enough to up my pledge!


Sweet! I hope so. :)

Enjoy!

 
I've got no option but to sell you all for scientific experiments. Or a tiny ad:
Free Seed Starting ebook!
https://permies.com/t/274152/Orta-Guide-Seed-Starting-Free
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