First Solar Inc of Tempe, AZ, USA, which manufactures thin-film photovoltaic modules based on cadmium telluride (CdTe) as well as providing engineering, procurement & construction (EPC) services, says that a team of students from Inner Mongolia University of Technology (IMUT) will use the firm's advanced thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to power its house in the 2013 Solar Decathlon China competition. The team consists of 21 graduate and undergraduate students from various majors, including energy and power engineering, architecture, civil engineering and management.
Originally developed by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2002, the Solar Decathlon is a biennial competition that challenges students to use a holistic approach to design and engineer houses with net-zero energy consumption. The competition helps demonstrate that solar-powered homes are fully functional and sustainable, while promoting innovation and adoption of solar energy technologies.
First Solar donated 150 of its PV modules with a peak generating capacity of 13 kilowatts (KW) to IMUT's "Team Green Sun" and will provide technical support for the project team, as well as collaborating with IMUT on solar education.
Team Green Sun's house design for the 2013 Solar Decathlon China is based on the yurt, a tent-like habitat indigenous to Inner Mongolia and other parts of Central Asia. The team's project seeks to address energy issues common in the region, including power grid inaccessibility, water shortages and high heating demands.
"We are proud to support IMUT's Team Green Sun in bringing cost-effective and energy-efficient technology to the region," said Bruce Yung, First Solar's managing director and vice president of Business Development for China. "China represents a very important market for First Solar. The fact that this year's Solar Decathlon is being held here is reflective of the government's commitment to developing the solar industry to meet interlinking economic, energy and environmental goals."
This year marks the first time China has hosted the Solar Decathlon competition. It features 22 teams from around the world, with 13 teams coming from China. The 2013 Solar Decathlon China is the result of an agreement between China's National Energy Administration and the U.S. Department of Energy to encourage energy collaboration between the two countries.
