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Background

What: We hope to optimize and then have the MEOW be integrated into community events. CCAT’s history has undergone various renditions of pedal powered innovations. The most recent being the MEOW, refer to links for a more thorough history.

Why: The MEOW is a historical staple for CCAT and the community due to its ability to integrate photo-voltaic knowledge, pedal power insights, and community enrichment. Unfortunately, the MEOW is currently underutilized and we hope to plug the MEOW’s capabilities into events on campus in order to demonstrate off the grid energy opportunities.

When: By the end of spring semester 2019

Who: Karina Coronado, Bryce Baker, Colton Evans, Cassidy Fosdick

Problem statement

The objective of this project is to expand or improve the CCAT MEOW unit in order to increase awareness and accessibility to the entire campus. We will attempt to improve its versatility, aesthetics, or the systems efficiency for the time allotted to complete this project.

The following main categories have been identified as areas that need improvement :

Lack of User Interface

1. Developing a way for students to utilize the power made. Extension cord from inside to outside with a power strip would suffice

2.Making a sign that explains how the power was being produced

3.Having a meter that reflected how much power was remaining and being currently used by the user

4.Having a way that the user interface would disconnect if power dropped below a certain level, so that core functions of the meow would not be disrupted. As an example, hydroponic system being dependent on the MEOW.

5.Bikes:Developing a way to have a bike covered and accessible so that someone could provide additional power There are two additional bikes that can be utilized in the meow(currently only two are working)

Clarity

1.It is unclear exactly how the display unit functions

2.It is currently showing that the battery has not been fully charged in over a year

3.Data on screen does not seem to reflect what outside conditions are

4.Manual needs to be located and posted on this document in a link

5.Once we can figure out how much power is being produced we can look at optimization

6. Solar inverter needs to be examined.

Optimization

1.Looking at common appliances being used at CCAT and linking them to the meow

2.Figuring out how much “extra” power is available when Meow is powering all primary power functions for CCAT (hydroponics, lights, water heater, ect.) Basically how much will be available for public charging?

3.Also how will the charger turn off so that primary functions are not disrupted

4.Looking at alternative uses for the Meow with other organizations and around the community

Maintenance

1.Figuring out if tags are currently up to date

2.Tire rotation/inspection

3.Brakes

4.Testing Lights

5.Learning how to equalize batteries

6.Developing panel cleaning schedule

7.Cleaning off rust

LITerature Review

The basics of a PV system

A photovoltaic system is relatively simple. All it requires is a little know how and ability to build the system. The necessities of PV systems are the following: solar panels, a battery(or batteries), and solar energy. Although, to make the system more efficient additional technology should be added such as a charge controller, an inverter, and a surge protector. The MEOW has 4 solar panels aligned in series to increase voltage. The solar panels energy that gets produced is then connected to batteries in series where the energy can either be stored or connected to the inverter. The inverters purpose is to alter the current from DC to AC which makes the energy usable in most households. A charge controller is used for the MEOW’s system to prevent overloading the batteries with charge or allowing the batteries to be drained too quickly. [1]

The Benefits of Solar

Medical and Economical

As we all know the earth is in a state of crisis. Climate change is setting the entire world on a catastrophic path. One of the solutions to this global issue is solar energy. Solar energy provides many benefits not only for the environment but also medically. For example, in Ohio a 1-kW panel provides 105$ in health benefits just because it displaces enough greenhouse gas emissions it saves people money from having to go to the doctor. In states where coal is the main energy source which causes a large assortment of illnesses; this technology could potentially be life saving. The Air Pollution Emission Experiments and Policy (APEEP) values that GHG’s cause about 6 million dollars worth of mortality. [2]

How to decide if Solar Panels are a Good Decision for you

Not only does solar power make sense for a person medically but also is great for the wallet. The sun’s energy luckily for everyone is free. However, the equipment needed to harvest and use that energy is not. Usually when thinking about buying a solar system some terms that come to mind are- expensive, unaffordable. There are some calculations you should consider before purchasing the system such as the life cycle costs, life cycle savings, payback time, and return on investing. In order to decide if a PV system is right for your household you should perform the calculations and make the decision best for you. [3]

References

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  1. Balfour, John, Michael Shaw, and Nicole Nash. Photovoltaic System Design. Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning, 2013, pp. 1-45. .
  2. Evans, Kyle, Ines Azevedo, and M. Morgan. "Regional variations in the health, environmental, and climate benefits of wind and solar generation." Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences 110, no. 29, 2013, pp. 11768-73.
  3. Kalogirou, Soteris. Solar Energy Engineering: Processes and Systems. 2nd ed., Elsevier Science and Technology, 2013, pp. 701-32.
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