Keeling Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

Our founder, Noah Davis, conceived of Solar Rollers in 2014 after managing K-12 renewable energy education programs for Solar Energy International and working directly with thousands of students and teachers. Solar Rollers allow student teams to be innovative, novel and experimental with their very own clean energy system, which happens to be a race car. Davis established a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based on an earned revenue model with the goal of inspiring young people to develop knowledge in the field of energy. Youth must understand energy because they have the adaptability, motivation, and a lifetime of opportunity to make meaningful improvements to energy systems everywhere.

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Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

Solar Rollers is inclusive of all high school youth regardless of economic status or gender. In particular, we've seen an increase in all-girls teams as our program has scaled to new regions, including both rural and urban areas. We already provide scholarships to some teams in need of economic assistance, and many of our teams find the experience of connecting with the community for sponsorship rewarding in itself. Our financial model is aimed at lowering costs for participants through central corporate sponsorships, providing more scholarships to support economic diversity. It is worth noting that Solar Rollers, while self-selecting, tends to attract students who identify as outsiders within their schools. Some of our most successful teams have been among the largest, the most ethnically diverse and the most gender-diverse teams to take part in the program. We want more!

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