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Germans win international competition to design solar house
Washington (AFP) Oct 19, 2007 A German university team was named on Friday the winner of the 2007 Solar Decathlon, a competition to design, build and run the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered home. "I want to congratulate this year's Solar Decathlon champion, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt, and the 19 other teams for their innovative designs and application of solar technologies," US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said at the awards ceremony in Washington, where the decathlon began last week. Teams from universities in Canada, Germany, Puerto Rico, Spain and the United States took part in the competition, which, like the sports version of the decathlon, consists of 10 categories. "It was a close race with the University of Maryland, which also built a beautiful house, with very good architecture and a good system," Barbara Gehrung, the German team's spokeswoman, told AFP. Teams in the competition erected their energy-efficient homes, powered exclusively by the sun, on the National Mall in Washington, in the shadow of the White House. The homes were open to the public for the duration of the competition. They were judged on whether they maintained a comfortable temperature, had adequate lighting, sufficient power for household appliances and home electronics, and hot water -- all produced using solar energy. The houses also had to power an electric vehicle. "We'll keep from this experience the fact that solar energy works," Gehrung said. "We have proved that we can live better in the future without fossil fuels. We can, if we work together internationally, achieve something." The most points in the competition were awarded for architecture (200 points), followed by engineering and market viability, which measures the market appeal and suitability to daily living of the house, at 150 points each. The remaining categories -- communications, comfort zone, appliances, hot water, lighting, energy balance and "getting around", which has to do with the electric car -- scored a maximum 100 points each. The Darmstadt team reaped the highest score for architecture, engineering, and energy balance. The next Solar Decathlon will take place in 2009.
earlier related report "This event not only furthers the ties between the United States and Europe but it will also further foster the development and use of energy efficient and sustainably developed housing throughout the world," said Spanish Undersecretary of Housing Fernando Magro Fernandez in a joint statement. Magro Fernandez and US Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Alexander Karsner signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday for cooperation on the planning of a Solar Decathlon Europe in 2010. The Energy Department launched the Solar Decathlon in the United States in 2002, and this year's event is underway on the Washington mall at the center of the US capital. Twenty university teams, including some European entries, are competing to construct the most efficient and attractive solar-powered homes. The winners of this year's competition will be announced on Friday. The University of Colorado has won the last two events. Sixteen universities participated in the competition, including the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as well as a Spanish team from Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, German students from Technische Universitat Darmstadt and a team from three Canadian universities. Under the agreement, the US will hold the competition on odd-numbered years and Europe will host its decathlon on even-numbered years. "The twin challenges of increasing energy security and confronting climate change are global in nature -- the solutions will require multilateral action," said Karsner of the Energy Department, which sponsored this year's solar competition. Related Links All About Solar Energy at SolarDaily.com
Nine Solar Racers Have The CSIRO Advantage
Canberra, Australia (SPX) Oct 19, 2007Nine of the forty vehicles slated to compete in this year's World Solar Challenge from Darwin to Adelaide are using a highly efficient electric motor designed by CSIRO. In the last event in 2005, only three teams had 'the CSIRO advantage'. The motor, which sits inside the wheel, was designed about ten years ago for Australia's Aurora 101 solar car. Aurora 101 raced in three of the World Solar Challenge events, winning in 1999 and coming second in 2001. Now touted as the word's most successful solar car, it is racing again this year. |
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