Solar Rollers at XSCI
The first ever experiential STEM teaching conference was held in Denver and Energetics Education was proud to be a part of it.
The first ever experiential STEM teaching conference was held in Denver and Energetics Education was proud to be a part of it. Those attending the conference took part in a variety of genuine experiences meant to inspire teachers. These included rock climbing, indoor skydiving, and paragliding. After all, without inspiration, where would teachers and their students be?
Two groups of teachers chose Solar Rollers as their experience and in just one day each group built a custom solar array for their car while discussing energy as it relates to the program. The end result? Two proud teams of teachers driving their own hand-built solar-powered remote control cars with smiles on their faces.
Solar Rollers at the American Solar Challenge
Solar Rollers will be at the Circuit of the Americas outside Austin Texas to run a demonstration race as part of the Formula Sun Grand Prix/American Solar Challenge event. The demo race will be run at solar noon on July 19 - the final day of the Formula Sun Grand Prix and the public day at the track.
Solar Rollers will be at the Circuit of the Americas outside Austin Texas to run a demonstration race as part of the Formula Sun Grand Prix/American Solar Challenge event. The demo race will be run at solar noon on July 19 - the final day of the Formula Sun Grand Prix and the public day at the track.
Solar Rollers Special Exhibit at Intersolar
This unique display will allow Intersolar participants to experience firsthand the excitement of Solar Rollers, an innovative new energy education program for high schools. To take part in the program, each high school team designs, hand-builds and races a sophisticated solar-powered remote control car.
The Solar Rollers Special Exhibit will feature an active racetrack for these surprisingly quick PV-powered machines. The program and its parent non-profit, Energetics Education, will be at Intersolar seeking support from the solar industry for the national expansion of this award-winning program.
The biggest Solar exposition in the United States will feature an indoor Solar Rollers racetrack on the trade show floor. The entire solar industry will have a close look at the program. Many thanks to Intersolar and Unirac for making it possible!
2014 Solar Rollers Race Results
Congratulations to all of the participants in the 2014 Solar Rollers season!
What a day! Nine teams of high school students from throughout Colorado's High Country came together on Saturday, May 17 to compete with their custom solar-powered remote control cars. Mother nature provided plenty of sunshine so the action on the track was hot and heavy - with plenty of collisions and repair action in the pit area.
The event featured energy education displays by Energetics Education, Aspen Science Center, Colorado Mountain College, Holy Cross Energy and Solar Energy International. Electric cars were on display including a Tesla, a Volt, a C-Max and even Sunsense Solar's solar-powered electric buggy. The Vail Volts Wagon solar power trailer was there to charge electric RC cars. Rifle Remote Control Park handled the race timing and even ran demonstration races with high-performance electric RC cars.
After a day filled with five separate competitions, Senator Gail Schwartz distributed trophies to the competitors. The overall winners, Battle Mountain High School, even got to take a ride in a Tesla.
Overall Winners
1st - Battle Mountain
2nd - Glenwood Springs
3rd - Roaring Fork
20 Questions Winners
1st - Aspen High
2nd - Summit High 2
3rd - Glenwood Springs
All Out Top Speed Winners (with battery)
1st - Summit High 2 (28 mph)
2nd - Summit High 1
3rd - Battle Mountain
PV-Direct Top Speed (solar only)
1st - Glenwood Springs (18 mph)
2nd - Summit High 2
3rd - Summit High 1
PV-Direct Circuit Race (solar only)
1st - Aspen High
2nd - Summit High 2
3rd - Roaring Fork
Main Circuit Race (60 minutes)
1st - Battle Mountain
2nd - Roaring Fork
3rd - Glenwood Springs
Big Ramps at the Big Race
Who could resist the loop-the-loop?
Thanks to a generous materials donation by Lowes of Glenwood Springs, we now have some exceptional RC car ramps for the Solar Rollers Trophy Race on Saturday, May 17. The general public is invited to bring their own RC cars, solar charge them using the Vail Volts Wagon solar trailer, and launch away.
Who will be the first pair to land the backflip over simultaneous loop-the-loop combination?
NEEF "Greening STEM" webinar features Solar Rollers
The National Environmental Education Foundation has featured Solar Rollers as part of its "Greening STEM" webinar series.
The National Environmental Education Foundation has featured Solar Rollers as part of a "Greening STEM" webinar, part of National Environmental Education Week. A recording can be viewed here.