Mobile Energy Lab Rolling in Monroe County

Bloomington, Ind. – The EnergyBus, funded through an Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority Innovative Grant, has been converted into a Mobile Energy Lab to help local residents receive hands-on education in renewable energy resources and home energy conservation.

The EnergyBus is a collaborative project of the Monroe County Energy Challenge (MCEC) and the South Central Community Action Program (SCCAP). Over the past 4 weeks, an AmeriCorps team and several volunteers spent time designing, building, and painting interactive activities intended to help our community better understand renewable energy generation and energy efficiency. Activities include a solar model car racetrack, a working wind turbine, watt meter activities, solar panel exhibit, energy bike and more! 

The bus will be touring Bloomington this summer as part of a series of Energy Independence events to encourage residents to reduce energy use to lower utility costs and to improve environmental quality.

Upcoming community events featuring the EnergyBus include:

• June 10: MCPL Recycling and Sustainability Fair

• June 11: Near West Side Neighborhood Block Party

• July 3: Arden Place Neighborhood Independence Day Parade

• July 4: Bloomington 4th of July Parade

Future events will be added to the MCEC public calendar at mocoenergychallenge.org/calendar/.  

Mayor John Hamilton commented on the EnergyBus, “This is a great example of Bloomington increasing energy use awareness and working to decrease our carbon footprint. Despite discouraging events on the national level, Bloomington will continue to actively explore and implement creative strategies to encourage energy conservation.”

The EnergyBus will be available to the public at community events, neighborhood weatherization blitzes, schools and businesses. To bring the bus to your neighborhood or upcoming event, please email MoCoEnergyChallenge@gmail.com or call 812-349-3558.