Crowder College - Recognition

Recognition

Crowder has achieved worldwide recognition for its innovative alternative energy program, under the direction of department chair Art Boyt. Crowder's solar team designed and built the first solar powered vehicle to successfully complete a coast to coast journey across the United States in 1984. http://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/02/us/solar-car-completes-cross-country-trip.html Since then Crowder has continued to distinguish itself in world and national solar energy competitions, most recently the Solar Decathlon in Washington, D.C., where the solar house entry from Crowder was selected as the “People’s Choice” and placed 6th overall in the competition. Crowder was the only community college in the competition, and competed against some of the most prestigious universities in the world, including Carnegie Mellon University, Cornell University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, & Technische Universität Darmstadt. This award winning house is now located on the Crowder campus. Soon the Crowder campus will include a new wind powered generator and a new entry in the next Solar Decathlon.

• 1984—designed and built the first solar-powered vehicle to successfully cross the United States.

• 1987—competed in the first World Solar Challenge, Australia; finished second, behind General Motors.

• 1990—competed in the first GM Sunrayce in America; finished fifth.

• 1990—placed eighth out of 32 international teams in the second World Solar Challenge.

• 1992—traveled to Japan for the Grand Solar Challenge.

• 1994—finished second in an electric vehicle race in Phoenix, AZ.

• 1996—working with Upward Bound students, placed third at the Grand Solar Cycle Challenge in Japan.

• 1998—competed in the first Ethanol Vehicle Challenge.

• 1999—competed in the World Solar Cycle Challenge in Australia.

• 2000—placed first in the fuel-efficiency category of the second Ethanol Vehicle Challenge.

• 2001—placed first in class and second overall; Solar Bike Race USA.

• 2002—only community college entry to compete with 13 universities in the 2002 Solar Decathlon project.