Solar Case Studies and Projects

Solar Cars: A New Light on an Old Subject

Summary of Work

Download the Solar Car Project Manual (1.09mb PDF)

Background and Significance:
1997-98 marks the fourth year that the Iowa Energy Center supported the solar car project. The project had its initial support from Center in 1994-95 school year. The entire student body of the West Branch Middle school participated in the project. In 1995-96, the project evolved to include 9 of the 10 schools in the Eastern Iowa Hawkeye Conference. Over 700 middle school students were involved and the project culminated with a conference-wide solar car race. Over 100 students raced their solar cars. Two students from Solon designed and built the fastest solar car.

In 1996-97, 42 Iowa middle schools and over 4,000 students participated in the statewide Iowa Energy Center Solar Car Rayses. The Solar Car Rayses were held in West Branch and over 100 solar cars were raced. Two students from West Branch Middle School were the state champions and represented Iowa in the first National Solar Car Races held in August in Dallas, Texas. The Iowa representatives tied for third in the national races. Iowa is considered one of the top six Junior Solar Sprint (JSS) regions in the United States. The (JSS) Races for students in grades 6-8 is managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In 1997, forty-five sites throughout the United States, including the Iowa Energy Center, collaborated in this event.

Summary of Work:
This project gets children interested in math, science, and computers through active participation in experimentation, research and using technology to arrive at solutions. This project has students working in teams of two. Students receive a solar panel and a motor. Students study the concepts of aerodynamics, friction, solar power, effects on our environment, decrease in pollution emissions, conservation, etc. This hands-on, minds-on approach allows students to see how all the components work together to increase efficiency and positively affect our environment. Students determine the importance of aerodynamics, fuel efficiency, and the chassis’ weight in designing and building a more efficient miniature solar car.

This project allows students to employ the same process used by professional mechanical engineers when they design something new. Design relies on generating ideas. The students build a miniature solar car and test their ideas. Students change the wheel sizes, design transmissions, mount a solar panel--attacking the overall problem in a piece-wise fashion.

Public education and support are critical to advancing solar energy technology and its use. The goal is not to teach that solar is the answer to our energy problems. The goal is to teach students about solar power and to help them realize that although solar cars are not economically possible today, in the future solar energy could work. We need to educate children about renewable resources that have the potential to succeed many years for now. In the process of this project, students learn how a car’s weight, streamlining, rolling friction, tire pressure, wheel types, etc. affect the fuel efficiency of present cars. “Solar Cars: A New Light on an Old Subject” provides opportunities for all students to be actively involved in scientific research.

In 1998, fifty schools and over 5,000 middle school students participated in this event. The 1998 state solar car races was held in Ankeny, Iowa.

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