Solar Decathlon Opening Ceremony and VIP Ribbon Cutting

Program Features U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette and Student Teams

| Source: U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy U.S. Department of Energy - Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

Denver, Colorado, Oct. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

MEDIA ADVISORY

DENVER, CO – Eleven teams involving hundreds of collegiate students from the United States and Europe are racing to complete assembly of their highly energy-efficient, innovation-packed solar houses for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2017. The award-winning competition officially begins on Thursday with an opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting featuring U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette, city and state officials, participating students, special guests and event sponsors. See early photos here.

WHO:        

Dan Brouillette, Deputy Secretary of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

Linda Silverman, Director of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon

Collegiate teams from across the country and from Europe

Governor John W. Hickenlooper, State of Colorado

Mayor Michael B. Hancock, City of Denver

Mary Wenzel, Senior Vice President, Head of Environmental Affairs, Wells Fargo

Maurice “Mo” Gauthier, CEO, President, COO, VSE Corporation

Solar Decathlon 2017 Supporting sponsors Wells Fargo, the City and County of Denver, and Denver International Airport (DEN), and Contributing sponsors L.C. Fulenwider, Schneider Electric, Regional Transportation District, Xcel Energy and Panasonic Enterprise Solutions

WHAT:      

Celebrate the kickoff of the international competition that shows consumers how to save money and energy with affordable energy products that are available today. Highly efficient houses built by collegiate teams will open to the public on Thursday, and teams will begin competing in 10 contests spanning nine days that gauge each house’s performance, livability and market potential.

WHEN:      

Opening Ceremony: Thursday, October 5

8:00 – 8:30 a.m.                  

All-team student photo in Solar Decathlon village; we suggest media arrive by 7:45 a.m. if planning to capture the team photo

9:00 – 9:30 a.m. 

Media set-up and advance seating in the Wells Fargo Education Tent                    

9:30 – 11:00 a.m.                   

Opening ceremony in the Wells Fargo Education Tent with student teams, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette, and other Energy Department officials, sponsors, special guest speakers, and VIPs

11:00 a.m.                            

Ribbon-cutting and opening of Solar Decathlon village

11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.         

Interview availability with students, guided tours, house access, and great photo ops during the first day of the public exhibit

WHERE:

61st and Peña Station, Denver, CO – view directions to the site; there will be a designated lot, along with some off-street parking, for media; please contact us at 202-28-SOLAR (76527), or email us here to make arrangements if you have equipment needs.

RSVP:       

Media wishing to attend are encouraged to RSVP by contacting Eric Escudero, media relations contact at the U.S. Department of Energy, at eric.escudero@ee.doe.gov or (720) 234-3417. Also, visit our media resources page and download our online media kit to help you cover the event. 

Solar Decathlon 2017 teams competing in Denver, Colorado

 

  • Las Vegas: University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Maryland: University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland)
  • Missouri S&T: Missouri University of Science and Technology (Rolla, Missouri)
  • Netherlands: HU University of Applied Science Utrecht (Utrecht, Netherlands)
  • Northwestern: Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois)
  • Swiss Team: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, School of Engineering and Architecture Fribourg, Geneva University of Art and Design, and the University of Fribourg (Lausanne, Switzerland)
  • Team Alabama: University of Alabama at Birmingham and Calhoun Community College (Birmingham, Alabama)
  • Team Daytona Beach: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Daytona State College (Daytona Beach, Florida)
  • UC Berkeley/U of Denver: University of California, Berkeley, and University of Denver (Berkeley, California)
  • UC Davis: University of California, Davis (Davis, California)
  • Wash U – St. Louis: Washington University (St. Louis, Missouri)
 

The student-built houses will open to the public for free tours October 5-8 and October 12-15 from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. and October 9 from 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. The overall winner will be announced on Saturday, October 14 at 9:30 a.m. Ride the University of Colorado A line commuter rail to the event site at the 61st and Peña Station (6045 N. Richfield St.) near Denver International Airport. Free parking will be available, as well as $2.00 parking in the solar-covered parking lot operated by RTD (see directions and a map). For full event information, current standings, high-resolution photos, and videos, visit www.SolarDecathlon.gov. You may also follow the competition in real time on Facebook at Facebook.com/DOESolarDecathlon and Twitter at @Solar_Decathlon. Photos are also available on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solar_decathlon/.

More about the Solar Decathlon

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is a collegiate competition made up of 10 contests that challenge student teams to design and build full-size, solar-powered houses. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends design excellence and smart energy production with innovation, market potential, and energy and water efficiency. Competing students gain hands-on experience and unique training that prepares them to enter the energy workforce. Solar Decathlon is more than a student competition. It’s an intensive learning experience for consumers and homeowners as they experience the latest technologies and materials in energy-efficient design, innovative energy technologies, smart home solutions, water conservation measures, electric vehicles, and sustainable buildings.

Solar Decathlon 2017 is made possible by a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Energetics Incorporated, with the generous support of the Solar Decathlon 2017 Supporting sponsors Wells Fargo, the City and County of Denver, and Denver International Airport (DEN), and Solar Decathlon 2017 Contributing sponsors L.C. Fulenwider, Schneider Electric, Regional Transportation District, Xcel Energy and Panasonic Enterprise Solutions.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0791212f-7c7f-4925-aa5e-d1cad27e794d


            











    

        

        
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