The refreshing part of being part of a clean energy blog like CleanTechnica for me is when an independent, innovative person or group contacts us about their work towards freedom from fossil fuels and adventures in nature. I received such a contact recently.
“I’m part of a grass roots solar vehicle production company in Ashland OR, called Solarolla (www.solarolla.com),” Daniel & the Solarolla team wrote.
“We’ve successfully retro-fitted several large vehicles (EStar, VW bus, etc…) with 100% solar power. We’ve been getting upwards of 100 miles per day, and have aspirations of having a 300 mile per day vehicle (this is in the works, see website). Please see our website at www.solarolla.com, and please call if you would like more information. Thanks for being a part of the Solar Revolution!”
Weekend project… soldering balancing wires in the secondary pack of our VW bus. #solarrolla #solarelectricvwbus #LITHIUM #solarenergy #RenewableEnergy #battery #conversion #VW #Volkswagen pic.twitter.com/fm9fDxhzyS
— Solarrolla (@SolarrollaEV) February 18, 2019
The following videos are abundant with wise information. One of my favorites is Brett Belan saying, “The message is: slow down. The message is: if you go 40 and 50 miles an hour with a vehicle like this, your range goes up so dramatically. You’ve got everything you need with you, so there’s no reason to go fast. There’s nowhere to get to. It’s the ultimate nature enjoyment vehicle. You can come into nature with totally low-impact, quiet transportation. Stay there. Power yourself up and then move on and enjoy. Enjoy all the wonderful spots in America, or the world for that matter. But slow down, you’ll enjoy it more.”
Solar electric RV, order yours now!
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Follow 👉(@solarrolla)👈https://t.co/otpXqY2mCr
–#solarrolla #solar24news pic.twitter.com/LMHhBwQ7gu— Solarrolla (@SolarrollaEV) February 19, 2019
I do appreciate the mass-market manufacturers invested in providing us with clean air — yet, independent adventurers are much more inspiring for me. Perhaps because they seem down to earth, not based on corporate structures that seem to dehumanize a bit. They are so cool, so fresh. My experience watching the work of this group has me buoyantly inspired.
As they say, “Peace is an inside job.”
They do show the way. Grassroots at it best.
Hours after enjoying the bios, as well as the practical and fun videos on their site, I grew more appreciative of such an inspired family and group of activist friends, workers, and keepers of kindred spirits. I also flashed back to my long-ago pregnant days of the 1970s and ’80s reading piles of homeschooling newsletters. In the 1970s and early 1980s, I considered education like I did the birthing process — with a mountain of literature on all sides of the story. It is not surprising to see similar roots here.
Kira Belan was a homeschooled child who grew up to share, as a woman, her meticulous and innovative work with husband Brett Belan, who grew up with a wrench in his hand. Where else could you read, “We finally started installing the batteries, soldering them together, ate some yummy food and got some Spanish lessons. All of this while our vehicles charge in the sun!”
“Making insulators, finishing the battery box, and creating a jig out of Legos to bend the tabs on the batteries so they can be soldered together.”
It was great to see @sunraykelley and his new gypsy wagon today!
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Follow 👉 (@solarrolla)👈
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–#solarrolla #gypsywagon pic.twitter.com/l5iKgHFXGF— Solarrolla (@SolarrollaEV) February 19, 2019
“Solarrolla is a family-owned business nestled in the foothills of beautiful Ashland, Oregon. At Solarrolla we specialize in vehicles that are 100% electric drive. They are charged using solar panel arrays mounted to the vehicle so you always have your charging station with you. This creates a sustainable way to travel without the use fossil fuels. We are advocates for nature doing our part to mitigate climate change and help create a healthy planet for future generations. Whether it’s a full electrical conversion such as the VW Bus, or outfitting an existing electric vehicle with solar, our business is here to help you make a difference.”
Thank you lovingly and madly to the Solarrolla crew for the inspiration for my week, or month. I encourage all CleanTechnica readers to spend time on their website and twitter feed. (*I use the word mad because I was part of a grassroots organization once myself. It was a mad farmers’ group that turned organic compostable produce into fresh dinners for the homeless. We read from the Mad Farmers Poems book afterwards.)
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