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Jan 31, 2008 8:58 am US/Central
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In The Know: 'U' Jumps Into Sunny Competition
(WCCO)
This past fall, Project Energy brought you a story from Washington, D.C. about the Solar Decathlon. Colleges from across the world competed on the Capitol Mall for the best solar home design. The University of Minnesota wasn't there. Don Shelby says when President Bob Bruininks found out, he fixed that problem ... quickly.
It has been said that a child shall lead them. Seemed like that in Washington, D.C. this past fall when the brightest of our children from 20 different universities built some of the most advanced energy efficient homes ever constructed.
Our University of Minnesota was not an entrant. It had spent most of its demonstration money on the solar car project, and that competition had ended.
When I called President Bob Bruininks for a comment, he said, "Tell the people we'll be there next year."
Well, the application process is rigorous, the competition to get in is stiff, and would involve colleges from engineering, information technology, the Initiative on Renewable Energy and the Environment and many more.
But this week the Department of Energy announced that the University of Minnesota's application had been accepted and they will compete in the 2008 solar decathlon.
It may be true that a child may lead us, but it takes a guy like Bob Bruininks to kind of give the kid a little push toward the future.
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