Solar Decathlon Opening Ceremony 1
The Solar Decathlon is a competition in which 20 teams of college and university students compete to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house. The Solar Decathlon is also an event to which the public is invited to observe the powerful combination of solar energy, energy efficiency, and the best in home design.
The event takes place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., October 12 – 20. The team houses are open for touring everyday, except Wednesday, October 17, when they will close for competition purposes. An overall winner is announced on Friday, October 19 at 2 p.m.
Teams of college students design a solar house, knowing from the outset that it must be powered entirely by the sun. In a quest to stretch every last watt of electricity that’s generated by the solar panels on their roofs, the students absorb the lesson that energy is a precious commodity. They strive to innovate, using high-tech materials and design elements in ingenious ways. Along the way, the students learn how to raise funds and communicate about team activities. They collect supplies and talk to contractors. They build their solar houses, learning as they go.
The 20 teams transport their solar houses to the competition site on the National Mall and virtually rebuild them in the solar village. Teams assemble their houses, and then the active phase of the Solar Decathlon begins with an opening ceremony for students, media, and invited guests. The teams compete in contests, and even though this part of the Solar Decathlon gets the most attention, the students really win the competition through the many months of fund raising, planning, designing, analyzing, redesigning, and finally building and improving their homes. The public is invited to tour the solar homes and event exhibits during much of the competition.
Awards Ceremony – Winner Announced: 2:00 p.m., Friday, October 19
Houses Open for Public Tours The public is invited to tour the houses during the open hours, listed below. Expect to stand in line to tour the houses. If you wish to see all of the houses, plan to spend two days.
- 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., weekends
- 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., weekdays
Houses Closed Houses will be closed for 1 – 2 hours while jury evaluations are taking place October 13 – 16 and October 18 – 19. Times vary for each house. All day Wednesday, October 17, the houses are closed for controlled temperature and relative humidity measurements.
Consumer Workshops The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and other event sponsors are offering solar energy and energy efficiency workshops for consumers. Workshops will not be offered on Thursday, October 18, during Building Industry Day. See the daily schedule below for workshop offerings.
Ask the Experts Panel Weekends only: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm and 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm.
A group of green-building experts, coordinated by sponsor Blue Egg, will be on hand to answer questions. (Each presentation will be 30 min, with 10 min for Q&A)
Educational Exhibits Two educational exhibits are open during the following times:
- 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., weekends
- 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., weekdays
Break Through Book Party
Come to a book party from 5 – 7 pm at Third Way’s DC headquarters, (2000 L Street NW, Suite 702).
Cohosts: Ted Nordhaus, Michael Shellenberger, Robert Nordhaus, Jeff Navin, Teryn Norris, Mark Schmitt, Michael Tomasky, Kelly Young, Third Way, The Breakthrough Institute
Markup of Ocean Exploration, Energy Storage, and Industrial Energy Efficiency Acts
The Business Opportunity in a Low-Carbon Energy Economy
As Congress turns its attention to passing an energy bill to begin the United States on a path towards a cleaner energy future, the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will host several CEOs who have seen the business opportunities in a low-carbon energy world.
Representatives from three leading business groups advocating for caps on the heat-trapping emissions that cause global warming will appear before Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee to discuss their companies’ work to reduce emissions and increase profits.
Witnesses- Alain Grisay, CEO, F&C Investments, member of the UK and EU Corporate Leaders’ Groups on Climate Change
- Neil Carson, CEO, Johnson Matthey plc, member of the UK Corporate Leaders’ Group
- Ralph Izzo, Chairman, President and CEO, Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG), member of Clean Energy Group and its Clean Air Policy Initiative
- Jonathan Lash, President, World Resources Institute, member U.S. Climate Action Partnership
National Conversation on Climate Action
On October 4th, mayors and other local government leaders across the U.S. will convene meetings in their communities to discuss the science and what is needed to solve global warming as part of the first annual National Conversation on Climate Action, an initiative sponsored by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, an international membership association of local governments dedicated to advancing sustainable development and climate solutions through local action; Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, and the Association of Science-Technology Centers, an organization of science centers and museums dedicated to furthering the public understanding of science among increasingly diverse audiences.
Impact of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Policies on Natural Gas Demand
The Natural Gas Council will hold a news conference to discuss a new study that projects the impact of proposed greenhouse gas reduction policies on future natural gas demand and energy markets.
Contact: Jeff Eshelman at 202-857-4722
1201 15th St. N.W., Suite 5000
Energy Storage Technologies: State of Development for Stationary and Vehicular Applications
- Patricia Hoffman, Deputy Director Research and Development, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability
- Brad Roberts, Chairman, Electricity Storage Association
- Larry Dickerman, Director Distribution Engineering Services for American Electric Power
- Tom Key, Technical Leader, Renewable and Distributed Generations, Electric Power Research Institute
- Lynda Ziegler, Sr. Vice President for Customer Services at Southern California Edison
- Mary Ann Wright, Vice President and General Manager Hybrid Systems for Johnson Controls
- Denise Gray, Director Hybrid Energy Storage Systems, General Motors
Committee press release: Today, the House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Energy and Environment considered the status of developing competitive energy storage systems for stationary and vehicular applications – both of which could provide significant economic and environmental benefits for improving the nation’s energy storage capability.
“Better energy storage technologies will also enable us to operate electric utilities in a more flexible and efficient manner. Energy storage can also help us respond to power outages more efficiently, providing greater electricity reliability. This could be vital for maintaining operations at critical facilities such as hospitals during a natural disaster,” said Subcommittee Chairman Nick Lampson (D-TX).
In the context of the hearing, the Subcommittee also discussed draft legislation entitled Energy Storage Technology Advancement Act of 2007, a bill soon to be introduced by Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN).
“Energy storage is also critical for the next generation of vehicles, which will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil and lower greenhouse gas emissions,” added Chairman Gordon. “I also think public-private partnerships can improve the production process for advanced vehicle components so that the U.S. becomes a leader in manufacturing these breakthrough technologies. With so many benefits of energy storage technologies, I think additional federal investment to research, test and advance these systems should be a priority.”
Broad deployment of energy storage technologies can help to improve the operational efficiency and reliability of our electricity delivery system, and allow for more diversified electricity sources and vehicle models that reduce our dependence on foreign energy supplies and address concerns about global climate change. However, there is concern that the U.S. is falling behind in the race to develop and manufacture a wide range of energy storage technologies, and a significant effort is underway to build up a domestic energy storage industry for both stationary and vehicular applications.
Climate Conference Protest Rally
In a clearly manipulative move, George Bush is inviting top leaders from around the world to Washington, D.C. on Sept. 27th and 28th to officially convey his “deep concern” about global warming. His proposed fix: more useless “voluntary” measures and huge subsidies for “clean coal” and nuclear energy. The event is clearly meant to undermine real international efforts now underway to achieve mandatory greenhouse gas cuts under the Kyoto process.
Join other concerned Americans in protesting this cynical conference on September 28th from noon-1:00 p.m. We’ll be holding a rally downtown next to the State Department, in the park at intersection of 21st St. and Virginia Ave. NW between D and E.
Sponsored by: Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Energy Action, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Oil Change International, SustainUS, the U.S. Climate Action Network, and the U.S. Climate Emergency Council.
The National Security Implications of Climate Change
Rescheduled from April 24, 2007.