Community leaders gathered this week at The Warehouse in Wilmington to welcome three new clean energy technologies as part of the Energize The Warehouse initiative.
Energize is a collaboration between Delmarva Power, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and other community partners. The initiative serves as a place for local teens to learn about clean energy, electric transportation, and sustainable farming and agriculture.
The initiative supports vocational and educational opportunities alongside each new technology, helping teens explore the energy industry and develop the skills needed to fill future energy jobs across Delaware and the broader region.
Beyond the educational component of these technologies, the program offers solutions to some of the community’s challenges, including improving access to food, transportation and reducing energy costs.
The Warehouse will host new three new technologies:
- Agricultural (Ag) Pod – A sustainable indoor vertical growing environment for produce that allows communities to grow food year-round. This technology was supported by Delmarva Power, the DNREC Community Environmental Project Fund, the Electric Power Institute (EPRI), and Planting To Feed Inc.
- Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Bus – Electric, zero-emissions bus, providing a cleaner transportation option for visitors of The WRK Group, including The Warehouse, REACH Riverside, and Kingswood Community Center. This technology was supported by Delmarva Power, Exelon, the DNREC Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund, and the University of Delaware.
- Solar and Battery Storage System – Provides clean solar energy to The Warehouse and allows the organization to save money on energy costs. This technology was supported by Delmarva Power, the DNREC Green Energy Fund, and CMI Solar & Electric.
“It is inspiring to see so many partners come together in a unified front with the goal of supporting our youth’s educational needs and the needs of the communities where we live and work,” said Dave Velazquez, president, and CEO of Pepco Holdings, which includes Delmarva Power. “Energize The Warehouse is bringing cutting-edge technologies to our community and delivering an incredible hands-on learning opportunity for our local students. I hope we can help build a foundation for their future interests in clean energy technology and help them develop into the energy leaders we need moving forward.”
The Warehouse is a service delivery partner of REACH Riverside Development Corporation. It brings together more than 140 youth-serving partner organizations to provide a variety of programs focused on recreation, education, arts, career, and health. For more information on The Warehouse, visit www.teenwarehouse.org
