Today's forecast may be cold and snowy, but that won't stop the Utah Solar Tour.

State officials are hoping more Utahns will put the sun to work if they can see renewable energy solutions in action. More than 30 solar homes and businesses will open their doors for the tour, including one home in Orem. The tour is free and self-guided.

"Utah has abundant renewable resources, and anyone who stands outside on a hot day in July knows that," said Sara Baldwin of Utah Clean Energy. "And at this point they are really untapped and we have not developed them to our fullest potential."

The tour gives people a chance to see how renewable systems work in normal homes and businesses, and meet with the suppliers and contractors who can answer questions and give price information about the systems, she said.

"It's helping to de-mystify renewable energy," she said. "A lot of people may not realize there is a system in their neighborhood or city and if they go on the tour, they can see it firsthand."

Peter Allen's Orem home is on the tour, showing off the solar panels and wind turbine he installed this summer. He said the system cost between $15,000 and $20,000, and he decided to install it because he had always been interested in renewable energy.

"We spent a month or two investigating it before having it installed," he said. "We're pleased with it."

In addition to 25 residential sites, the tour will include Entheos Academy, Utah's first solar-powered charter school; Westminster College, Utah's first solar-powered college; the Tracy Aviary; KRCL radio station; and the Jameson Apartments in downtown Salt Lake City. Two free Solar 101 workshops will be held during the tour, one at Green Power Solutions in Midvale at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.; and at Entheos Academy Charter School in Kearns at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m..

The Utah Solar Tour is hosted by the Utah Solar Energy Association and Utah Clean Energy, in partnership with the Utah State Energy Program and the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar America Cities Project. Utah's tour coincides with the American Solar Energy Society's 12th Annual National Solar Tour.

"The demand for clean, renewable energy technologies is on the rise and more people are seeking solar for their energy needs," said Orrin Farnsworth of the Utah Solar Energy Association in a news release. "This tour is an easy way for Utahns to learn more about the whats and how-tos of solar and other renewable energy applications."

Utah will have 488 million square feet -- approximately 8,472 football fields -- of roof space available for solar energy by 2010, which could provide 5 gigawatts worth of energy. That does not take into account Utah's thermal energy potential, officials said. Renewable energy development could be an economic engine for the state, as well as help provide secure energy and environmental sustainability.

For more information about the tour, including a list of tour stops with addresses, visit www.utsolar.org.

Caleb Warnock can be reached at 443-3263 or cwarnock@heraldextra.com.