A group of BYU engineering students wants to start a solar-cell revolution.
Led by mechanical engineering professor John Salmon, the students hope to trigger energy change by installing solar cells in public locations you wouldn’t think of, such as:
- Bus stops
- Park picnic tables and benches
- Cafeterias and restaurants
- Car window shades
- Stadium Seats
- Blinds
A group of BYU engineering students wants to start a solar-cell revolution.
Led by mechanical engineering professor John Salmon, the students hope to trigger energy change by installing solar cells in public locations you wouldn’t think of, such as:
- Bus stops
- Park picnic tables and benches
- Cafeterias and restaurants
- Car window shades
- Stadium Seats
- Blinds
… all with the idea of providing clean-energy charging spots for personal mobile devices.
And here’s the thing: The students aren’t just throwing ideas against the wall to see what sticks. The project caught the attention of the Ford Motor Company Fund, resulting in BYU receiving a $25,000 grant to fund their efforts to address growing energy consumption.
“Current power-generation capabilities will not be enough to meet the energy demand in the future,” said Christopher Running, an electrical engineering major on the Open Access Solar team. “We believe solar technology is the most promising solution to the upcoming energy gap.”
With funding in hand, the students are already knee-deep in step 1: Building solar panel tables that allow people to work and charge devices at the same time. The prototype of the first table is in its final stages and will be in device testing over the next few months.
Continue reading at Brigham Young University
Image Credit: Brigham Young University
