At Orcas Island’s first annual “Island Eco-Fest and Solar Science Fair” to be held on Saturday, Aug. 6, over 10 different groups and businesses will showcase solar cookers, solar hot water systems, photovoltaic (PV) systems, and home efficiency testing and improvement techniques.

“We sure hope the sun is shining … because we’re going to be lighting things on fire, cooking hot dogs and other things with a variety of solar cookers and the “Solar Death Ray” parabolic concentrator cooker made from 100 percent recycled materials,” said organizers.  “It should be a fun day.”

The festival will also include presentations and dialogue with local energy experts, including OPALCO.

Speakers include Eric Youngren of Island Energy Systems; Anne Bertino, Energy Services Specialist at OPALCO; Tim Hance of All Islands Home Inspections; Michael Riordan,  co-author of “The Solar Home Book” and adjunct professor of physics at the University of California Santa Cruz; Douglas Poole of Sage Building Solutions on Lopez; Chris and Chom Greacen, international renewable energy experts from Lopez;  Palang Thai; and Joe Symons of NegaWatt Media.