National Clean Energy Week is a celebration of the policies, industries, and innovations that power our daily lives while producing no or very little greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the very real technological and political challenges, a clean energy future is in our reach, and America is ready to lead the way.

Join us at a Light Bulb Exchange

As part of Clean Energy Week 2022, we will be hosting lightbulb exchanges at various locations throughout the County that support clean energy in some way. Check out a new farm, library, or business!

Monday, September 26, 2022; 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Sandy Spring Gardens, 301 Lethbridge Ct., Ashton, MD 20861 

A vegetable farm, located in suburban Montgomery County (not in the Agricultural Reserve), where neighbors have made their land available for vegetable production, which vegetables are processed and cooled with electricity from a solar panel installation on the farmer’s rooftop at home. This installation of 24 solar panels rated at 8.12 kW total which was added in 2020 produces an estimated 10,460 kWh of electric power per year.  It was originally estimated to offset 84% of our electricity usage and over more than two years since our solar system went live, it has provided considerably more than the usage annually.

Tuesday, September 27, 2022; 3:00 – 6:00 pm
Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Ave, Rockville, MD 20850

Rockville Library has solar panels on roof that provide clean, low cost energy and an excellent educational opportunity for County residents. Library visitors interested in learning more about solar panels can take out books and other learning materials, in addition to accessing information through signage and public programming. This library has 288 solar panels installed and produces 104, 291 kilowatt hours per year. That is enough to power about ten houses for a year.

Wednesday, September 28, 2022; 4:00 – 9:00 pm
One Acre Farm, 18608 Wasche Road, Dickerson, MD 20842

Gaithersburg Library has solar panels on roof that provide clean, low cost energy and an excellent educational opportunity for County residents. Library visitors interested in learning more about solar panels can take out books and other learning materials, in addition to accessing information through signage and public programming. This system has 720 solar panels installed and provides 271,234 kilowatt hours annually. That is the equivalent of powering 22 homes,  keeping 43 cars off the road, and planting 5,231 trees.

Thursday, September 29, 2022; 3:00 – 6:00 pm
Germantown Library, 19840 Century Blvd, Germantown, MD 20874

Germantown Library has LED (light emitting diode) light bulbs installed – they are the most energy efficient on the market. Switching from a typical incandescent bulb to an LED one could save you about $40 a year*. Multiply that by the many bulbs you have in your home and watch the savings add up. 20 bulbs = $796* in savings/year, 40 bulbs = $1,591* in savings/year.

*Savings calculated by comparing an A-19 incandescent bulb (60 watts) with a typical LED bulb (9 watts) running for 98 hrs. per week. Source: www.bulbs.com/learning/energycalc.aspx

Friday, September 30, 2022; 5:00 – 7:00 pm
RS Automotive, 7224 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912

RS Automotive is proud to be the first gas station in the United States to ditch oil for 100% electric vehicle charging! Read this article in the Washington Post to learn about how we are working toward a more sustainable planet. Depeswar Doley, a friendly Takoma Park fixture and RS Automotive’s owner since 1997, said he doesn’t know how much money the new charging stations will net his business — and doesn’t particularly seem to care, so long as he can continue paying his staff a living wage while cutting ties with Big Oil.