A uniquely sustainable tailgate has joined the throngs for the 2013 football season at Notre Dame. The tailgate operates out of a solar-powered trailer known as a MORE (Mobile Renewable Energy) trailer. The trailer contains a TV display, electronics, LED lighting, and a refrigerator, all powered by the sun.
The trailer is the product of a collaboration between Jordan Energy and the Let’s Share the Sun Foundation of Troy, New York and Inovateus Solar LLC of South Bend. The tailgate is located in the Innovation Park lot at each home game, and all are invited to grab a drink, play some games, or drop off a business card for a chance to win a residential rooftop solar system.
“The trailer raises awareness about the important work being done by these organizations to promote renewable energy around the world,” explained Jason Hofmeister ’17, who interned at Jordan Energy over the summer. “Nancy and Bill Jordan, both ’85 Notre Dame graduates, founded Let’s Share the Sun to bring solar power to some of the world’s poorest communities, who otherwise have no access to electricity.”
Let’s Share the Sun Foundation recently installed solar panels on four ACE schools in Haiti, and donations are accepted at the tailgate for solar lanterns for those communities. For every $50 they raise, they are able to provide a solar lantern to a student’s family. The students charge the lanterns at school each day and carry them home to provide lighting for their families at night.
Inovateus Solar is one of the country’s top providers of solar energy services. Their customers range from fortune 500 companies to utilities, universities, municipalities and the federal government. Inovateus will be providing one lucky fan with a personal solar system for their home at the end of the football season.