MCC Electronics students will soon be using solar-generated electricity in
their labs, thanks to a donation today from the ASU-Polytechnic Photovoltaic
Testing Lab (PTL).
"ASU-Poly has given us a 50-panel, 7.5-kilowatt capacity system -- enough
to power three of our Electronics labs under typical usage," said JD Neglia,
the Electronics Program Director. "This donation is the culmination of many
years of collaboration between our two schools on several National Science
Foundation (NSF) grants, curriculum development, and conferences," added
Neglia.
The donated panels are state-of-the-art technology and have been fully
tested by the ASU PTL, the only Solar Panel testing lab in the USA and one
of only three in the world. They are being installed on the roof of the
Technology Center on the MCC campus. Daniel Parker, an MCC Electronics
graduate, ASU-Masters graduate, and current ASU PTL employee will also be
providing expertise to optimize the installation.
Although the system will both save energy and reduce MCC's carbon
footprint, there are even more significant advantages. "The knowledge and
experience our electronics students gain from working with this system will
be propagated to the hundreds of technology corporations where are graduates
work. It also dovetails nicely with our SRP Apprenticeship program."
Electronics students will be developing devices to monitor the power and
energy output of this system using the knowledge and skills they learn in
the program. "Such devices are commercially available," said Neglia, "but
building them yourself yields much more insight and can lead to innovation.
Plus, it's fun!"
Richard Newman, Director in the Electronic Systems Division at ASU
Polytechnic, spearheaded the donation. "We're partnering with MCC and some
other colleges to develop an online Alternative Energy curriculum for
national dissemination," he said. "We hope this system will help them in
their efforts." |
Loading the panels (front to back): Daniel Parker, Richard Newman, and Azeep. |
