One of the challenges to wider use of renewable energy is increasing the awareness that solar and other renewable energy technologies have advanced substantially and are now able, in some markets, to compete with electricity generated by burning fossil fuels.
To meet this challenge, Terra-Media, founded in 1992 by The International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC) in Washington, DC, has developed a multimedia kiosk to be displayed in the spring of 1994 at the Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology in Washington, DC.
Designed to allow students as well as engineers to follow different information paths for answers that expand their understanding of renewable energy technologies, TerraMedia's kiosk uses touch-responsive screens, hypertext, and color animation software running on Mac Quadra 800s. The hypermedia format will allow users to learn at their own interest level.
One drawback to kiosks is that they can only be in one place at one time. Rather than wait for the public to come to TerraMedia, plans are in the works to make the exhibit available around the country to utilities, government labs, state energy offices, and other multimedia demonstration centers.
For more information about TerraMedia or the soon-to-open Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology, contact
Michael Totten, TerraMedia Director, The International Institute for Energy Conservation, 750 First Street NE, Suite 940, Washington, DC 20002. +1 (202) 842 3388 or e-mail iiec@igc.apc.org.
ELECTRIC WORD
From Video Jock . . . . . . . to System Op
Interactive Green Machine
