Secretary Chu to Open Solar Village, Welcome DOE Solar Decathlon Teams to National Mall

Secretary Chu to Open Solar Village, Welcome DOE Solar Decathlon Teams to
National Mall

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. Department of Energy
Secretary Steven Chu will officially open the 2009 U.S. Department of Energy
Solar Decathlon today. The opening ceremonies will begin with a welcome
address to the twenty university-led teams from the United States, Canada,
Germany, and Spain. The Secretary will then officially open the Solar
Village, consisting of twenty solar-powered, high-efficiency homes built by
the teams.

The Solar Decathlon is a student competition to design and build houses
powered entirely by the sun, held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
from October 8-16.

WHAT: 2009 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Opening Ceremonies.

WHO: U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu

WHERE: The Solar Village is being built on the National Mall between 10th and
14th Streets; the ceremony will take place near 14th Street, outside the large
white tent.

WHEN: Thursday, October 8, 1:00 pm.

RSVP: Media wishing to attend should RSVP to Thomas.welch@hq.doe.gov

The solar homes will be open daily for public tours, except October 14, when
they will be closed for competition purposes. An overall winner will be
announced October 16 at 10:00 am. The solar village will then remain open for
public tours through October 18.

For full event information, current standings, high-resolution photos and
video, an event schedule and daily results, visit www.solardecathlon.org.

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: (202) 586-4940

SOURCE U.S. Department of Energy

Thomas Welch of the U.S. Department of Energy, +1-202-586-4940