Photovoltaic Powered Electric Vehicle Update
Thanksgiving Edition
J.Durand 11/28/09
General Comments:
I am writing this just after Thanksgiving. So much has happened, and there is so much to give thanks to God for. I will list some of the good things that our project can be thankful for at this time. I hope this recalls to your mind things in your life to be thankful for.
• Our project has not had any work related injuries.
• We received the unexpected commitment of $7,500 from a UVa source related to independent student groups.
• Most of our materials are ordered and are on the way.
• Parking and Transportation (P&T) has agreed to donate a parking space to RideForward in the Emmet Ivy Parking Garage for the Honda, which will be used by P&T. These parking spaces are worth over $20,000 each, so the donation is quite significant. The space will be on the first level, right in line with the bus shelter
• Facilities management has agreed to donate the materials and labor required to install the photovoltaics on the roof of the bus shelter in front of the Emmet Ivy Parking Garage. This is estimated at about $6,000, so this is a great help to our project.
• Wiley Wilson, a Lynchburg based engineering firm, has agreed to provide the required engineering services to support getting the approval for an on campus installation of the PV system. It has been most encouraging to have the support of so many on and off campus groups. This community of support makes us feel as though we are not in this alone, and indeed we could not do this project if we were just an isolated group.
• We have been able to purchase some tools for the project which have been sorely needed.
• All of our design/build teams are doing well, and have made good progress towards completing their tasks.
An observation: I am so encouraged to see the creativity and diversity in design ideas that are bursting forth in alternative energy. I have attached an interesting article that summarizes an electrochemical based system for converting sunlight to electricity. It utilizes fiber wires, similar to what is used in fiber optics. The intriguing aspect is that this system collects the sunlight through the end of the fiber, which is about 3 times the width of a human hair. Then the absorbed light is converted to electricity within the wire itself. The attached article has been “popular pressed” and I have not read any other articles on this, so I don’t understand the details of how this works, but it has the prospect of needing much less surface area exposed to the sun then conventional PV.
Upcoming:
• Get the remaining items in for the building teams
• Set up the shop with the new tools
Enjoy the remainder of your Thanksgiving weekend!
