Emily Pilloton

Team Germany Wins the Solar Decathlon

For the second year in a row, Technische Universität Darmstadt, aka Team Germany, has taken first prize at the national Solar Decathlon, which invites 20 schools every year to design, build, transport, and install a solar-powered home on the lawn of the National Mall. Their "surPLUShome" doesn't just have solar panels, but an entire skin of panels making up a robust 11.1 kW photovoltaic system. The plan inside is open, modern, and simple. What seemed to tip the scales for the judges was not just the aesthetic and thoughtful plan but, most importantly, the fact that the home promises to produce 200% of its needs, feeding energy back into the grid. Read the whole story here. Congrats to Team Germany!

Posted by Emily Pilloton on October 20, 2009 | Comments (2)