A solar home built by a Calgary student-led team will be showcased in Vancouver during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Team Alberta has received funding from federal Western Economic Diversification Canada to transport their solar home to Vancouver, after it competes next month in the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon in Washington, D.C.
"Having the opportunity to feature our home during the 2010 Winter Olympics is absolutely phenomenal for the team," says Mark Blackwell, chair of the Alberta Solar Decathlon Project. "With a major focus of the Games being on sustainability, we are proud to represent Canada and Alberta in showcasing-to an international audience-a solar home that truly encapsulates that message."
Team Alberta made the announcement Thursday, September 10, at a celebration in Calgary of the ENMAX SolAbode home's completion, first public showing and official 'send off' to Washington, D.C. for the Solar Decathlon.
"Our team has been working very long days to complete the home and test all its systems," says project manager Matt Beck. "We still have a few things left to do, but we're confident our design and technologies will impress the judges and visitors."
Western Economic Diversification Canada's support will enable Team Alberta to transport its solar home on tractor-trailers to Washington, D.C., and then directly to Vancouver before returning the home to Calgary.
"Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, our Government is investing in a more innovative and competitive economy," said Devinder Shory, MP for Calgary Northeast on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western EconomicDiversification. "Our support for Team Alberta's entry in the international Solar Decathlon is yet another example of how we're creating new opportunities and building the foundation for our future prosperity."
Team Alberta also announced a contribution from the Alberta Olympic and Paralympic Secretariat that will enable the solar home to be displayed in Vancouver as part of the Alberta secretariat's programming around the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The team includes more than 100 students, faculty and staff from the University of Calgary, SAIT Polytechnic, Mount Royal University, and the Alberta College of Art + Design, who have been working on the solar home project for more than two years. Team Alberta received a major boost in June, when ENMAX Corporation joined as the title sponsor of the
custom-built, 850-square-foot home, which relies solely on solar energy for both heat and power.
Holden, President and CEO, ENMAX Corporation. "Ultimately, each individual home will become its own generation plant and the process we use to power our homes today will change dramatically. "In our case, ENMAX intends to supply and maintain the hardware as well as facilitate the flow of electricity on the 'Smart Grid,'" Holden added. "Our customers will be able to 'sell back' any excess that has been generated by their house or buy more off the market when they need extra. It's an exciting time in the electricity industry."
In Washington, D.C., Team Alberta's "decathletes" will compete on the National Mall from October 8 to 15 against 19 other university and college teams and their homes chosen from around the world. They include another Canadian entry by a team from Ontario and British Columbia.
In conjunction with the event, on October 15 the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade office, and the Alberta Office in Washington, D.C., will hold "Canada Cleantech Day" at Canada's Embassy. The day will include a trade show featuring clean energy companies from Alberta, Ontario and B.C., a high-level panel discussion on clean energy technologies, and a by-invitation VIP rooftop reception.
Upwards of 200,000 visitors are expected to tour the "solar village" that is created on the National Mall. The top three teams will be announced in a celebration on October 16.