media advisory October 3 , 2005
Heather Emmons, DRI PIO, heather.emmons@dri.edu, (775) 673-7313,
(702) 743-3435 (cell)
Kate Kirkpatrick, DRI GreenPower Coordinator
,
kate.kirkpatrick@dri.edu,
(775) 673-7488
All DRI News Releases available at:
http://news.dri.edu/
Sandy Miller Academy unveils new GreenPower installation
Reporters and Editors,
Please Note
WHO: Desert
Research Institute and Nevada Power Co.
WHAT: Unveil new GreenPower solar electric installation at the Sandy Searles
Miller Academy in Las Vegas
WHERE:
Sandy Searles Miller Magnet School Academy for International
Studies, 4851 East Lake Mead Boulevard, Las Vegas, Nev. 89115
WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 5 at noon
HOW: Brief ceremony with students, faculty, former First Lady Sandy Miller
and her mother Renee Searles, DRI President Dr. Stephen Wells, Nevada Power Co.
President Pat Shalmy and DRI Research Foundation Trustee and Chair of DRI's GreenPower
Committee Jim Kropid
VISUALS: The school is celebrating "Solar Day," and students will have
various solar demonstrations and projects available. The installation on
top of the school consists of a solar array and wind generator.
BACKGROUND: The
Sandy Searles Miller Academy installation marks the eighth GreenPower installation
in the state--and the first full installation at an elementary school. The
installation is in memory of former First Lady Sandy Miller's father, Jim Searles. Sandy
Miller is an emeritus board member of DRI's Research Foundation Board.
Students can learn about renewable energy and watch the amount of energy being
generated in real-time by the solar array and wind generator through special
software connected to the installation called "Fat Spaniel."
The GreenPower program is a partnership between the Desert Research Institute,
DRI's Research Foundation, Nevada Power Co. in southern Nev. and Sierra Pacific
Power Co. in northern Nev. The program is supported by voluntary customer
contributions made by customers of Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Power companies
through their monthly utility bills. All contributions are 100 percent
tax deductible.
A nonprofit, statewide division of the Nevada System of Higher Education, DRI
pursues a full-time program of basic and applied environmental research on a
local, national and international scale. More than 500 full- and part-time scientists,
technicians and support staff conduct some 150 research projects at DRI annually. DRI
generates $45 million in total revenue consisting predominately of competitively
won research contracts and grants. The State of Nevada provides critical funding
in support of DRI's administration, operations and maintenance, through the Nevada
System of Higher Education budget. While DRI’s portion of the NSHE budget
is less than 1 percent, the institute leverages these funds to enhance its competitiveness.
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