The Solar Rollers Program Goes Global, Bringing Clean Energy Racing to High Schools in Dubai, Dallas and Denver

CARBONDALE, Colo., Jan. 31, 2017 -- Solar Rollers, a grassroots energy education program developed in the high country of Colorado, is growing rapidly -- even reaching 17 schools in Dubai with sponsorship from the city’s ambitious rooftop solar program, Shams Dubai. These Shams Dubai Solar Rollers teams will compete in a major race in April. Texas schools are joining too, racing at Earth Day Texas with 150,000 attendees -- and a record number of Colorado teams will race in Denver.

Hundreds of high school students are currently working in teams to design and build sophisticated solar-powered radio-controlled cars for these races.  Through speed challenges, endurance circuit-racing and academic competitions, Solar Rollers students learn the ins and outs of a complete clean energy system. They emerge from the program excited to find energy solutions at every scale.

Participating Solar Rollers teams receive a sophisticated materials kit and use a supportive online course to design and build everything from their carbon fiber chassis to their energy storage circuit -- and even their own hand-soldered solar array. Each high-energy Trophy Race, run by Solar Rollers, is designed for spectating with seven competition categories. In this way, many far-flung teams can take part.

About Solar Rollers
Solar Rollers’ nonprofit mission: to inspire young people to develop knowledge in the field of energy and empower them to improve the world’s energy systems.  Solar Rollers provides highly engaging energy education that builds technical skills, teamwork, self-confidence, ingenuity and community. The program seeks partners for growth to run more teams and race events.

About Shams Dubai
Shams Dubai is a rollout program for rooftop solar from the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Tasked with turning electricity users into producers, Shams Dubai expects to support the installation of photovoltaic panels on practically every rooftop in Dubai by 2030.

Solar Rollers and Shams Dubai share a passion for bringing energy education and awareness to the public eye, as well as enabling the next generation workforce to gain technical skills to understand and improve energy systems. Shams Dubai Solar Rollers was launched in November at Innovation Week in Dubai’s FutureDome.

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