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The Solar Decathlon 2007 is an international team competition sponsored by the US Energy Department on Washington DC’s Mall. University students from around the world are challenged to design and construct solar-powered, energy-efficient homes. They must be able to power lights, refrigerators and televisions by solar energy, but must also be able to produce enough energy to fuel an electric car. “The architecture, engineering, mechanics and electricity students come from German, Spanish, Canadian and American universities,” Yahoo News reported. The Energy Department hopes the competition will inspire students to take up careers in the sciences and spark an interest in renewable energy. They hope the contests will “help move solar energy technologies to the marketplace faster.”
 Twenty teams will show off their futuristic creations at the third edition of "Solar Decathlon 2007" between October 12-20 in the US capital's vast Mall esplanade, and 125,000 people are expected to visit the homes.
Construction and engineering experts will judge the homes using 10 criteria including architecture, engineering, market viability, interior comfort and whether the sun actually powers appliances and produces hot water.
The solar power going through the homes must also be able to charge an electric car.
(news.yahoo)References: solardecathlon.org, news.yahoo Filed In: |
