Energy Commission Projects Deliver at State Scientist Day

During State Scientist Day, the California Energy Commission rolled out a pizza box that uses the sun’s energy to keep things – even a pizza – warm.

More than 2,500 school-aged children filled the Capitol grounds for the May 18 event. The 28th annual event, which is sponsored by the California Association of Professional Scientists, showcases how scientists, engineers and others are helping California meet its energy goals, prepare for natural disasters and protect public health.



The Energy Commission brings a variety of hands-on exhibits each year to help students learn more about renewable energy and how it works. Among this year’s featured exhibits was a solar oven made from a pizza box and a reflective surface. Energy Commission staff explained that on a hot, sunny day, temperatures in the solar oven can reach 200 degrees Fahrenheit. That same concept, but on a larger scale, powers solar thermal projects which provide clean energy by concentrating sunlight.

The Energy Commission staff also displayed a diorama of an Advanced Energy Community where electricity demand is met through energy efficiency, renewable sources and energy storage. The diorama illustrated how Advanced Energy Communities serve as models for local governments that want to encourage sustainable development by using innovative technologies such as zero-net energy homes, which produce as much energy as they consume, and microgrids which can power critical facilities like hospitals during an electrical outage.

The Energy Commission was among more than a dozen state and private agencies that participated in State Scientist Day.