Three Cool Solar Power Competitions

Competition is the best way to encourage innovation and creativity, especially in an emerging technology like solar power.  Forcing teams to compete encourages problem solving and out-of-the-box thinking that can advance the industry and open the minds of competitors and observers alike.  I thought I would outline three cool solar competitions that are stretching the limits of what solar can do and may just change how we look at this industry.

1.  The American Solar Challenge

This competition is centered around a cross-country race that must be complete by cars powered exclusively by the sun.  Teams from the universities US, Canada, Europe and Australia design and build their own cars.  This year’s race stretched from Kansas to Chicago.  

Teams are challenged to create the lightest, most efficient cars possible in order to win.  And since hybrid electric cars and solar are both going to be a big part of our future, how cool would it be if we could combine them to power our vehicles with the sun?  It might seem like a longshot, but don’t tell that to Universiry of Michigan, this year’s winner.  Find out more about the Solar Challenge here.

2.  The Solar Decathlon

This is probably the most famous solar competition in the US.  Held on the National Mall in Washington DC, teams from around the world compete every other year to create beautiful, efficient, and perhaps most importantly, market viable homes that use solar for heating and power.  

Teams compete in ten categories: Architecture, Market Viability, Engineering, Lighting Design, Communications, Comfort Zone, Hot Water, Appliances, Home Entertainment, and Net Metering.  The challenge for the teams is to balance all of these aspects and create a home that can be moved to Washington DC for judging.  Last years winner was Germany, which underlines the need for the US to play catchup in the global solar market.  To find out more about the Solar Decathlon click here.

3.  Solar For All Design Contest

Perhaps the least known, but most important, contest is the Solar For All Contest.  The purpose of this contest is to challenge participants to find ways to extend solar technology to the 1.6 billion people worldwide that lack access to power.  Many of these people use dirty, sickening kerosene or timber to create light and cook.  Finding ways to make solar accessible and affordable would help both the environment AND the quality of life for billions of people.

This year’s winner was Greenlight Planet, which created an affordable solar lantern that is being distributed in India. The company received a $250,000 investment from Deutsche Bank and hopes to start selling their lights worldwide in the next 5 years.  For more information on the Solar For All Contest click here.  

Kriss Bergethon is a writer and solar professional from Colorado, for more information visit his site at Solar Power.