2013 Solar Decathlon Arrives In Orange County

January 14th, 2013 by Joshua S Hill

Later this year, the U.S. Department of Energy will host its Solar Decathlon, but students representing the 20 collegiate teams competing in this year’s Decathlon have already visited the venue, the Orange County Great Park, in an effort to prepare for the competition which will take place October 3 to 13.

The 300 block of Decathlete Way illuminates with the houses from Canada, Team China and Illinois, from left to right, at the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 in Washington, D.C.
Image Source: Stefano Paltera/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon

“The Solar Decathlon is the Great Park’s first-ever international event,” said Jeffrey Lalloway, Chair, Orange County Great Park Corporation. “We are excited to welcome the students representing the 20 competing teams and their creative energy, innovation and talent as they prepare to build solar houses that will allow the public to see the future of energy, today.”

For the uninitiated, the Solar Decathlon presents teams from various colleges across the U.S. with the challenge of designing, building, and operating solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, cost-efficient, as well as being attractive (because, let’s face it, who wants to live in an ugly house no matter how cost- and energy-efficient it may be?).

During the competition, the public are welcome and encouraged to visit the houses in an effort to provide the consumers with ideas that they can use in their own homes, and to learn how energy-saving features can save them money.

“This is the first time the Solar Decathlon will be held outside of Washington, D.C.,” said Richard King, Director of Solar Decathlon for the U.S. Department of Energy. “We are so excited to be in California! The Solar Decathlon 2013 teams are some of the most impressive we have seen to date. We look forward to introducing the students to the Great Park this weekend and to watching their innovations come to life in Irvine this fall.”

The current visit to the Great Park allows the students opportunity to participate in a weekend full of workshops and briefings about the competition provided by officials from the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Source: US Department of Energy by way of PR Newswire

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Tags: 2013 solar decathlon, DOE, housing, Orange County, Orange County Great Park, Orange County Great Park Corporation, Solar Decathlon, Solar Decathlon 2013, US

About the Author

Joshua S Hill I'm a Christian, a nerd, a geek, and I believe that we're pretty quickly directing planet-Earth into hell in a handbasket! I also write for Fantasy Book Review (.co.uk), and can be found writing articles for a variety of other sites. Check me out at about.me for more.

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The modern solar home provides one of the best investments you could make. You will get a better return than stocks, bonds or other investments, and the solar home is safer than cash as it’s value goes up every time the utility raises rates.