Solar Energy Powering The Auto Industry

When solar energy and the automotive industry are mentioned together it's assumed the topic is solar powered cars. Understandable, but only partially true. The auto industry, that bastion of fossil fuel burning tradition has been researching clean, renewable solar powered vehicles for years. What few people are aware of is that car makers General Motors, Volkswagen, and Ford are also leading users of solar energy to meet their industrial usage needs.

How Solar Powered Vehicles Work

A solar powered car is a vehicle that operates using electrical energy generated through the collection of the sun's rays. This is accomplished by employing a solar array that uses photovoltaic cells (PV cells) that convert sunlight into electricity. Sunlight comprised of protons strikes PV cells. Electrons are excited and flow, creating an electrical current. These PV cells are made of a semiconductor material, usually an alloy of crystalline silicon, indium, gallium and nitrogen.

Solar powered vehicles have to be lightweight because the energy able to be collected by the car's solar array is limited. Thus aerospace, alternative energy and automotive technologies are combined to produce the lightest vehicle possible.

History Making Solar Powered Cars

Solar powered cars are not a new idea. The concept of using the sun to power a vehicle has been around for decades, since August 31, 1955 to be exact. It was then that General Motors's William G. Cobb created a 15" solar powered prototype called the Sunmobile. Showcased at the Chicago Powerama convention, the solar car had 12 selenium PV cells that powered a small Pooley electric motor turning a rear wheel shaft.

Originally solar cars were automobile industry or technology institution research projects and were one off prototypes. Later solar powered vehicles were still built for scientific research but were used to compete in solar car races or endurance rallies. Starting in 2011 however, solar powered cars intended to be used for daily driving on public roads were built.

The first solar car that a person could drive was demonstrated by the International Rectifier Company in 1962. The platform used was a 1912 Baker electric car that the company converted in 1958 to run on PV cells and showed for the first time 4 years later. Approximately 10,640 individual solar cells were mounted on the car's roof.

An Alabama University professor named Ed Passereni built the Bluebird solar car in 1977. A full scale prototype, the Bluebird was exhibited at the Knoxville, Tennessee World's Fair in 1982.

In 1979 a three wheel solar car with a solar array on the roof was created by Alain Freeman. An Englishman, Freeman managed to get his invention road registered in 1980. It's likely this was the first solar powered car able to be legally driven on public roads in the UK.

The Citicar was the creation of the engineering department at Tel Aviv University in Israel. In 1980 Arye Braunstein and his colleagues created a solar car that had solar panels on its hood and roof. Comprised of 432 cells that generated 400 watts of power, the Citicar used 8 batteries of 6 volts each to store the photovoltaic (PV) energy. Weighing 1,320 lb., the Citicar was able to reach 40 mph and had a range of 50 miles.

In 1981 that Larry Perkins and Hans Tholstrup, creator of the World Solar Challenge, built a solar race car. In 1982 Perkins and Tholstrup were the first people ever to drive a solar powered car across Australia, starting in Perth and finishing in Sydney.

In 1984 another solar race car set a world record. Invented by Greg Johanson and Joel Davidson, the Sunrunner set the official Guinness world record. Driven in the Mojave Desert of California, a top speed of 41 mph was officially recorded for a "Solely Solar Powered Vehicle", meaning it did not use a battery. The official record appears in the 1986 Guinness Book of World Records.

In 1987 the Sunraycer drove at an average speed of 42 mph for 1,866 miles along Australia's Stuart Highway, going south from Darwin to Adelaide. The Sunraycer was a collaboration between General Motors, AeroVironment, and Hughes Aircraft.

Current Solar Cars

Sunswift eVe is a solar powered race car that is expected to be navigating the streets of Sydney by July this year. A team of students from Australia's University of New South Wales is working to make the Sunswift eVe the first street legal solar powered car in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Stella is a family sized, road legal solar powered car. It took first place in the World Solar Challenge, and won the 3,000 km Darwin to Adelaide, Michelin Cruiser Class competition in Australia last fall.

There are many more one off solar powered concept cars and prototype solar energy research vehicles, but those above are the most notable.

Solar Energy Powering The Auto Industry

Volkswagen, GM and Ford will probably all be manufacturing solar powered cars and assorted electric vehicles one day. Today though, all three companies have invested heavily in solar power to meet the energy needs of some of their plant or corporate operations.

Volkswagen is generating its own energy at its Chattanooga, TN, USA plant courtesy of a 65 acre solar park. Thirty-three acres of the solar park are the solar panels themselves, making it the largest single solar array in the state of Tennessee.

There's also a massive solar array on the roof of SEAT's factory in Martorell, Spain. Just completed, it is the largest solar power plant in the automobile industry. The joint venture with utility solar developer Gestamp Solar began in 2010 and cost an estimated US$47.55 million.

Ford Motor Company and DTE Energy are cooperating on building Michigan's largest solar array. The project is to be funded by DTE Energy and will comprise 360 covered parking spaces and 30 charging stations for plug-in electric vehicles at the Ford World Headquarters. The project is to provide employees driving the company's Ford Fusion Energi and C-MAX Hybrid Energi cars with recharge stations.

General Motors is committed to producing clean energy using solar power. GM is already the No. 1 automotive user of solar power in the United States according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and ranks No. 13 of the top 20 solar powered companies in the United States.

Conclusion

There is likely to come a day when the sun meets most of the world's energy requirements. It is likely too that the automotive industry will be leading the way in both industrial uses of solar energy and solar powered vehicles.

Ladies Shoulder Bags

Ladies shoulder bags are bags designed in varying styles that are carried by looping a strap over the shoulder. They give the ladies the liberty to carry around their wide array of day to day necessities while also complementing their different fashion styles as they form a stylish accessory to any collection. They are convenient to carry around as they are hands free and are manufactured in different sizes to fit with varying preferences as well as different seasons.

Most ladies prefer a bag that can accommodate their everyday accessories but with a little more room. However, it is also important to consider other attributes when shopping for a ladies shoulder bag. First and foremost one should consider the quality of the bag with regard to durability. A shopper should ensure that her choice for a bag is made with durable materials that can maintain the bag’s appearance for some time. Bags made with natural materials such as leather, cotton, suede or silk tend to last longer than those made with synthetic materials such as nylon. Most of the information related with ladies shoulder bags can be accessed on a number of websites as many manufacturers and dealers of these bags have retailer websites, for example GVG Bags. This would help one gather important information on the different styles of bags and the one’s that match her taste and preference. Ladies shoulder bags come in different styles in terms of design and make which dictate how the bag is worn.

These styles are:

Cross body: This style of shoulder bags have a long thin strap which runs across the body and on the opposite shoulder to the hip on which the bag lies on. The attached bags are small in size and rarely have more than two pockets. This is so as to prevent the thin strap from digging into the body as a large bag can accumulate much more weight.

Hobo style shoulder bags: These bags have a single or pair of straps that go over the shoulder of the arm in which the bag is carried on. They tend to have a deep main pocket and gathered ends which make the bag to look big in size.

Messenger style: This style resembles the cross body style but has a wide strap that runs across the body. The main difference between the two styles is that the messenger bag is larger and tends to accommodate more weight.

Satchel style: These bags have the characteristics of both the cross body and the hobo style shoulder bags. They have a looser larger bag although they are not as big as the messenger bags. It is ideal for an individual willing to have the cross body look but wish to carry more assortments.

Tote style shoulder bags: These bags on the other hand have a more geometrical looking shape and feature only a single deep pocket. They are designed to enable one to carry a little bit more while still remaining hands free. They are ideal for light shopping trips.

All You Need to Know About Satchels

There are some must have items for every lady. One of these items is the satchel. This is a medium sized bag with a short shoulder loop. It has a bottom that is wide and can also have a long shoulder handle. Satchels are made of various materials. Examples of these materials are leather, canvas, nylon and fabric. They also come in many different colors. There are a number of different types of satchels. Read on to learn more about ladies satchels.

The messenger satchel bags

These are satchels that are large, roomy and worn with a shoulder strap that goes all the way around the chest, over the shoulder and down the back. Messenger satchel bags have been around for centuries. They are a unisex type of bag. They are built for work and play. As such, they are constructed out of durable materials. Examples of these materials are canvas, leather, vinyl and nylon. Messenger satchel bags area available in a myriad of colors. The ladies' messenger satchel bags come in colors such as pink, crimson and violet. The main compartment of the messenger satchel is closed with a zipper. This type of satchel often has pockets on one of the outer sides. Tese pockets provide you with extra storage space. Designer houses such as Louis Vuitton have released very beautiful ladies' messenger bag satchel bags. 

The backpack satchel bags

This bag is mostly associated with school going kids. However, there are some stylish backpack satchel bags for ladies. The main characteristic of backpacks is that this type of bag is carried on both shoulders across the back. The weight of the bag is balanced across both shoulders. As a result, it is easy to carry the weight in the bag and one experiences little to no strain on the shoulders. These satchels are constructed out of materials such as leather, canvas and nylon. They can be very stylish with patterns and graphics printed on their panels. Moreover, this type of satchel bag has fasteners for its two straps. These can be made of plastic or luxurious materials such as gold and silver. One notable characteristic of this type of ladies' satchel is that one has to take it off to access its contents.

The school trolley satchel bags

This type of satchel bag is very similar to the backpack. However, it has little wheels on its bottom and a telescopic handle. Thus, you can take it off your back and tow it along the pavement as you walk. If you desire to carry it on your back, you can just holster the telescopic handle and pick it up. They are available in a number of materials. They often feature very attractive colors and prints on them as well. 

Tips to follow when buying a ladies' satchel

The first step is to check which type of satchel suits you. If you are adventurous and love the outdoors then the backpack satchel is the best bet. If you want to seem classy and sophisticated then a messenger bag satchel is the best fit for you. The best type of material for satchels is leather. It is durable, easy to maintain and available in very many colors.