The Synergy of Hybrid Cars and Solar Power
I've been interested in a solar power system for my home since I've owned a home. The new solar shingles are very intriguing because they are so sleek and simple, but they are still very expensive.
In the long run, the solar cells are probably worth it, paying for themselves in a decade or two, but could they be made to be more cost-effective with today's technology?
Absolutely.
The basic definition of synergy is the "joint action of different substances producing an affect greater than the sum of the individual effects of the substances" according to my Funk and Wagnalls desktop dictionary. So, how can solar power be synergized to make it more cost-effective?
Many solar-powered home owners receive 100% of their home's power from the sun, and some of those home owners also receive 100% of their auto fuel from the sun. That's right, some homeowners with solar roofs are not only fueling their homes, but their automobiles as well, via solar power.
Of course, these electric vehicle owners have limited range with their driving, but daily commuting is typically not a problem.
Some have looked to this example and created gasoline electric hybrid plug-ins. For example, one takes a Prius, adds more batteries and a plug adapter, so that the batteries that power the electric motors can be charged, significantly reducing gasoline need.
The good thing is, the Prius gasoline electric plug-in vehicle can always function like a regular old gasoline car. Hybrid cars, however, offer even more synergistic potential for increasing the use of solar power.
Why not take that same Prius plug-in and add solar panels to its hood, roof, and trunk? Solar races throughout the world are proving the solar-powered vehicles are possible. Can they produce enough power to propel a passenger vehicle? Not even close, but solar power could become a supplementary source of electric power, and as it becomes more efficient, perhaps it could eventually power the vehicle.
Imagine sitting in stop and go traffic on a hot summer day. No problem, the solar panels will keep your hybrid moving and your A.C. humming and it won't cost you a thing. Oh, yeah, it won't cost the environment a thing either - with today's technology.
And it doesn't just have to be the Prius. Already PHEV, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, have been created from not just cars, but trucks and SUVs as well. Today's technology is already capable of turning Ford Escape hybrids and Toyota Highlander hybrids, into SPHEVs.
That kind of synergy could revolutionize both transportation and energy, but it could make enough profit?
Labels: electric cars, ford escape hybrid, fuel cells, hybrid cars, plug-in hybrid vehicles, solar power, toyota highlander hybrid, toyota prius
posted by Dahcredyns @ 8:38 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Why can we not plug our hybrids in when we get home to cook our dinner and heat our homes? At least capture the energy saved in your drive home.
Diesel/hybrids work best in this scenario, as the car is your generator, running only when batteries need to be charged. What else is your car doing parked in your driveway? Take the heat from the engine as well through a rad in your furnace heat exchanger.
Let your car work for you; after all it is an asset with a terrible roa.
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K2 Milling Ltd.
I'm all for it. It sure makes a lot of sense to create a self-feeding energy loop between auto and home. Unfortunately, it probably doesn't help big energy much.
Why a Hybrid Solar Vehicle?
In these web pages (http://www.dimec.unisa.it/Leonardo) the reasons for studying and developing a Hybrid Solar Vehicle are presented, and the related topics discussed:
fossil fuels, largely used for car propulsion, are doomed to depletion;
the CO2 generated by the combustion processes occurring in conventional thermal engines contribute to the greenhouse effects, with dangerous and maybe dramatic effects on global warming and climatic changes;
energy consumption and CO2 emissions related to car and transportation are increasing;
solar energy is renewable, free and largely diffused;
Photovoltaic Panels are subject to continuous technological advances and cost reductions...
...but solar cars do not represent a practical alternative to conventional cars, due to limitations on maximum power, range, dimensions and costs...
...while Hybrid Electric Vehicles represent an effective mid-term solution to the reduction of fuel consumption and of the related emissions;
Therefore, in principle, Hybrid Solar Vehicles could sum up the advantages of HEV and solar power, by the integration of Photovoltaic Panels in a Hybrid Electric Vehicle.
One may of course observe that the power obtained by conventional photovoltaic panels on the roof of a normal car is about two orders of magnitude less than the car maximum power: is it worth it?
On the other hand, recent statistics show that a significant percent of users drive their car mostly in urban areas, less than one hour per day and with only the driver on board;
and, in these conditions, the energy obtained by photovoltaic panels during driving and, mainly, the energy accumulated into the battery during parking mode, may represent a significant fraction of the energy required to propulsion.
In order to maximize the benefits of solar energy, a substantial re-design of the vehicle is needed, assisted by suitable methodologies and mathematical models.
New and advanced control systems and strategies are also required to optimize energy flows between vehicle components.
The rest of the story at the pages:
http://www.dimec.unisa.it/Leonardo
http://www.dimec.unisa.it/leonardo_new/en/prototype.php
I had a similar Idea, wondering why you couldn't plug your car in at night, drive to work, and collect solar all day while your car is parked at work in the sun? This would give you enough power to drive home and plug in again to your home system, preferably powered by solar.
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