Opening Day: Seen and Heard
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Below you will find Solar Decathlon news from the Events archive, sorted by date.
Collegiate Teams Showcase Innovative Solar Houses in International Competition
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DENVER, CO – Eleven teams involving hundreds of collegiate students from the United States and Europe have assembled at the 61st and Peña Station in Denver, Colorado, to showcase their highly energy-efficient, innovation-packed solar houses for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2017 (see photos here). This signature Energy Department event is making its debut in Denver after successful runs in Washington, D.C., and Orange County, California. Today’s opening ceremony, headlined by U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette, kicked off the highly anticipated international competition that shows consumers how to save money and energy with affordable energy products that are available today.
By Kristin Madding
A free event that will blow your mind is about to land in the Denver area. It’s the Solar Decathlon: a multiday, multiteam, multidisciplinary competition that pits collegiate teams against one another in categories of design, engineering, energy, and more. (Goosebumps!) It’s essentially the national championship of solar home building. But, instead of tossing the ole pigskin, teams from the United States, Switzerland, and the Netherlands are building full-size houses featuring the latest sustainability tech to compete in 10 contests. It’s … kind of a big deal.
By Alexis Powers
The Solar Decathlon has inspired many design competitions over the past 15 years, among them the Energy Department’s Collegiate Wind Competition, Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s Tiny House Competition, the Alliance for Green Heat’s Wood Stove Design Challenge, and EmPower’s Solar Student Competition. But we’ve never seen anything quite like this before.
By Carol Laurie
To the cheers of hundreds of student decathletes, Secretary of Energy Dr. Ernest Moniz brandished a pair of giant scissors and cut a ceremonial ribbon to open the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2015 village. The competition and public exhibit have begun!
By Carol Laurie
The U.S. Department of Energy, the National Energy Administration of the People’s Republic of China, and China Overseas Development Association have finalized a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the second edition of Solar Decathlon China.
By Solar Decathlon
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is proud to announce the newest member of its global family: Solar Decathlon Middle East, to be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
By Carol Laurie
The countdown begins! On Jan. 9 and 10, some 250 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2015 students, faculty, and organizers gathered in Irvine, California, for a workshop that served as the backdrop for a weekend of comradery and intense information download.
By Carol Laurie
On June 28, 20 competition houses from 17 countries and three continents open to visitors in La Cité du Soleil—Solar Decathlon Europe’s solar city in Versailles, France.
By Solar Decathlon
The Solar Decathlon is proud to announce the newest member of its global family: Solar Decathlon Latin America and Caribbean. On Monday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman, Colombia Minister of Energy and Mines Amylkar Acosta, Mayor of Santiago de Calí Rodrigo Guerrero, and Director of Planning of Colombia Tatyana Orozco signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the development of Solar Decathlon Latin America and Caribbean.
By Solar Decathlon
Today, the Energy Department announced the 20 collegiate teams selected to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2015. It also announced that the competition will take place at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine, California.
By Solar Decathlon
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 received a jolt of energy today when busloads of students from local southern California middle and high schools visited the Solar Decathlon village for tours of solar-powered competition houses as part of the Solar Decathlon School Days program.
By Carol Anna
With a snip of giant scissors, a ribbon holding back throngs of student decathletes, sponsors, officials, and other well-wishers fell aside, and the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 officially opened.
By Amy Vaughn
Mark your calendars for an exciting new addition to the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 and XPO! Oct. 4–6, 2013, the XPO Transportation Zone will feature the California Challenge, a competitive time trial of energy-efficient vehicles.
Yesterday’s Solar Decathlon China opening ceremony was grand!
A huge stage, complete with three video screens, was set up on the steps of the Sun Palace. The mayor of Datong opened Friday’s opening ceremony by speaking about the future—a cleaner, brighter future, thanks to the efforts of students and faculty participating in Solar Decathlon China. Other dignitaries, including Assistant Secretary David Danielson of the U.S. Department of Energy, also spoke. Dr. Danielson said how pleased he was to be in Datong witnessing the first Solar Decathlon in China. He congratulated everyone for making the competition possible.