# Green Students Bring New Energy Ideas Northwest Style

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2012/05/green-students-bring-new-energy-ideas-northwest-style/
- Published: 2012-05-10T22:40:33-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

PULLMAN, Wash. – More than 450 middle and high school students from throughout the
Northwest, including first time participants from Oregon, Montana and Idaho, will
present their creative solutions to society’s energy challenges at Washington State
University’s Imagine Tomorrow competition.

This year the competition also will add a challenge category specifically focused
on biofuels. The other categories are behavior, design and technology.

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, 119 student teams will compete for more than
$100,000 in cash awards for themselves and their schools. The competition is set
for Saturday, May 19, in the CUB ballrooms at WSU Pullman.

“We see this expansion to Oregon, Montana and Idaho students as a wonderful opportunity
to introduce [Washington State University](https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/05/wsu-soil-scientist-leads-expert-panel%e2%80%99s-call-for-%e2%80%98transforming-u-s-agriculture%e2%80%99/)
to motivated students throughout the Northwest and provide a regional showcase for
their innovative ideas and work,” said David Bahr, co-director for Imagine Tomorrow
and director of the WSU School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.

The competition expansion comes about through support from the Northwest Advanced
Renewables Alliance (NARA), a broad alliance of private industry and educational
institutions led by WSU and supported through a $40 million dollar grant from the
U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

NARA aims to develop an aviation biofuels and petrochemical substitutes industry
in the Pacific Northwest using residual woody biomass as the feedstock.

“These high-achieving students are the ones who will need to understand our energy
challenges and develop the solutions,’’ said Michael Wolcott, co-project director
for NARA. “We’re excited about giving them a chance to learn about biofuels, especially,
and hopeful to see their great ideas on how they might inspire our work.’’

In addition to NARA, more than 40 organizations are sponsoring this year’s event,
with significant contributions provided by The Boeing Company, [Bank of America](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/04/bank-of-america-updates-environmental-policy-acknowledges-yet-fails-to-act-on-climate-crisis/),
BP and Weyerhaeuser.

More than 100 judges from industry and academia have agreed to score the projects
and provide feedback to the students. Each student on the first place team, in each
of the four challenge categories, will receive $1,000, and their schools will receive
$5,000.

Second through fourth place winners also will receive individual and cash awards
for their schools. Additional recognition is provided for:

The best projects from newly participating schools in each state’s federal congressional
districts

Most Innovative

Most Likely to Succeed in the Marketplace

Global Impact Award

Community Impact Award

Advisor’s Favorite

In addition, the College of Engineering and Architecture at WSU offers a university
scholarship to qualifying Imagine Tomorrow participants.

Project setup begins at noon Friday, May 18, at the WSU CUB ballroom with workshops
and demonstrations available to participants. Presentation and judging will be 8
a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19.

An awards ceremony and free, public keynote address presented by Microsoft Chief
Environmental Strategist Rob Bernard will begin at 8 p.m. May 19 at the WSU Beasley
Colosseum.

Source: WSU News, French Ad #446, Pullman, WA 99164-1040
 509-335-3581, e-mail: 
wsunews@wsu.edu [www.news.wsu.edu ](https://news.wsu.edu/) [www.twitter.com/WSUNews](https://mobile.twitter.com/WSUNews)

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green
Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow.

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