The Orange County Great Park has accepted a $1 Million grant from the US Department of Energy as part of a two-phase agreement to host the Solar Decathlon and a multi-day exposition in October 2013.
Planning and development constitute the initial phase of the agreement, for which, the US Department of Energy has provided $375,000. Beth Krom, Chairperson of the Great Park Corporation Board, stated that hosting this international event would serve a dual purpose of bringing the spotlight on the Great Park and promote awareness on energy conservation and green technology benefits.
The multi-day exposition which is termed as XPO represents the combination of clean, renewable energy and efficient use of energy. XPO provides a platform for highlighting the products, technology, and education, creative and business prospects that showcase benefits of clean and renewable energy and its efficient usage.
The Solar Decathlon Challenge is a program where 20 teams from various colleges compete to design, construct and demonstrate the working of economical solar houses that are also attractive and energy efficient. The winner is of course the house which scores high on all the aspects under consideration such as energy efficiency, cost and aesthetic appeal. The first phase of hosting the Solar Decathlon Challenge 2013 involves event scheduling, arrangement for sponsorship and identification of a suitable location for the Challenge. The location which will be known as the Solar Decathlon Village will be the setting where the participants of the Challenge will work on their solar powered houses.
Source: http://www.ocgp.org