The name for the website comes from the shape of the deck that connects the solar power array to our home. The shape was inspired by a hawk feather found in August of 2004. The deck and its neighboring prairie garden are designed to form this shape.
In Native American teachings, hawk's are an invitation to be aware, to pay attention. I hope that this site will help you pay attention to the possibilities on the horizon for new ways of producing electricity and new paths for living more lightly on the Earth.
The solar array discussed on this site consists of 16 - 175 watt Shell Solar panels. It is connected to a Xantrex GT 3.0 Grid Tie Solar Inverter, which powers the house. There are no batteries in the system, so when the sun goes down, the house runs off of the grid.
The solar power system was designed and installed by Third Sun Solar and Wind Power. The project was supported by a grant from the Ohio Office of Energy Efficiency and a loan through the Energy Loan Fund. The architectural plans were developed by Tamara Hilmey. The eastern white cedar lumber was obtained from Loyalist Forest Products, Inc. The decking is a recycled plastic and wood product from Trex. The plants in the prairie garden were obtained from the Marianist Environmental Center near Dayton, Ohio.
