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October 26, 2007
As with many other technologies that came before today's latest solar product offerings, including early Internet and telecommunications technologies, universities and national labs have always been at the forefront of research and development. Not only do the achievements of these institutions often become commercially viable product offerings, but these universities also fill demand for jobs in burgeoning industries like greentech. The Solar Decathlon, held in Washington, D.C. last week, is a prime example of top North American and European institutions showcasing their latest wares. Greentech Media attended the event and documented the new technologies on display.
This brief report provides a recap of the event, complete with analysis and results, including details about which technologies were used and why, and if performance expectations were met. Technology suppliers highlighted in this report include:
The Solar Decathlon is a competition to design, build and operate a solar-powered house, using the latest technologies at the disposal of the competitors. Twenty teams competed to see whose innovations were the most advanced. This event is held every two years on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in the "Solar Village."
The goal is to create "the most attractive, effective and energy-efficient solar-powered house." All the solar houses must be entirely solar-powered. This power must be able to handle all of a family's day-to-day activities. The house must be 800 sq. ft. and have a maximum height of 18 feet.
Each team is responsible for raising its own funding from outside sources on top of the $100,000 each team receives from the Department of Energy for being accepted into the competition. These outside sources range from small businesses that make green products and contractors to large companies such as Ford and BP. Through this project, competitors focus on environmental responsibility, construction management and implementation as well as gain valuable fund-raising skills as potential future entrepreneurs, not to mention they learn how to build a house! While each team has faculty advisors, the students have all of the primary responsibilities associated with this unique project. Teams strive to build the best house and, in turn, come up with some very unique and innovative solutions.
In addition to the money awarded by the DOE, each team is given an electric car that it must use during the competition. This year, the teams were given a GEM (Global Electric Motorcars) e2 NEV.
The 2007 Solar Decathlon was the third competition, with past Decathlons occurring in the fall of 2005 and 2002. During each of the past Solar Decathlons, more than 100,000 visitors congregated on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to visit the "solar village." This year, however, the attendance is estimated to have broken all previous records, although exact numbers have yet to be published.
The inaugural event was held in 2002 with 14 teams from across the country. The second decathlon was held three years later, in 2005. That year, 18 teams participated, including international teams from Canada, Puerto Rico and Spain. The presence of international teams showed the worldwide awareness and interest in this important issue. This year, the Decathlon returned for its third time, with 20 teams, including two more international additions, Technische Universität Darmstadt from Germany and Team Montreal.
Primarily sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the event also was sponsored by many other groups. The event's title sponsors were: The American Institute of Architects, The National Association of Home Builders, The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, The US Green Building Council, BP and Sprint. (For a complete list of sponsors, please visit the Solar Decathlon Web site.)
The U.S. Secretary of Energy, Samuel Bodman, has been very involved with the Solar Decathlon since his appointment in 2005. During his closing-ceremony speech, he said "[the Solar Decathlon] is one of the best parts of my job." He also noted that because of such high attendance and the overwhelmingly positive response, the competition "is now a permanent part of America."
The technical and design levels have dramatically increased since the competition's inception. Every year, teams learn from each other and from their own experiences. Secretary Bodman said, "The technology we see here works and I don't think I can pay it any higher complement than that." And he is absolutely right. This is a tangible showcase for the world of the future feasibility of energy-efficient and zero-energy buildings.
The DOE has just signed a contract to hold the first European Solar Decathlon in Spain in 2010.