Renewable energy:
The road to a cleaner environment

Recayi Pecen

When Recayi Pecen looks into the future, he sees clean energy sources--fuel cells, wind and solar power. He is passionate in his belief that these renewable energy sources are the means to ensure the health of the environment, and because of the hands-on Electrical and Information Engineering Technology (EIET) program at UNI, Iowa's first four-year engineering technology program, he has shifted his focus from pure and theoretical engineering applications to applied renewable energy research.

Several current projects demonstrate his interest in and commitment to renewable energy. The first is a hybrid wind and solar station that generates a peak power rating of 1.5 kW. Although not very powerful for a commercial or residential load, the station is a good educational tool, particularly for showing Iowa farmers that combining four solar panels and one small windmill provides a great clean energy source. Wind and solar power complement each other, especially in a region of the country where it's either windy or sunny most of the time. The hybrid power station, located on the southwest side of the UNI Industrial Technology Center, provides green power for lights, for fans in summer and small heaters in winter, and for computers in the electrical and electronics lab.

The solar boat project has captured the imagination of UNI industrial technology students to promote cleaner Iowa lakes and rivers. UNI has fielded a team and had an entry since 2001 at the Solar Splash®, the International Solar Boat Regatta held each year in Buffalo, N.Y. The team members design and build a solar boat, recruit sponsors for the competition and then compete in the race. The solar boats use either direct solar energy or solar energy stored in batteries.

The world championship of solar electric boating, which usually draws teams from more than 20 universities, promotes eco-friendly boat technologies worldwide. Although the pollution effects of agricultural production on Iowa's lakes and rivers are well known, a lesser known fact is the serious effect of oil and gas spills by inefficient two-stroke boat motors. Worldwide, 236,000 metric tons of oil and oil products leak into waterways from boats. According to Pecen, this quantity is more than seven times the amount spilled by the Exxon Valdez in Alaska in 1989.

At the 10th annual Solar Splash® in 2003, the UNI team ranked second highest on the initial qualifying race and won the Perseverance Award. One of the strong points of UNI's participation, according to Pecen, is the close collaboration between area manufacturers and the EIET students. Past sponsors have included John Deere Industries, Rockwell Collins, Midwest Fabrication, Optima Batteries, WBM Marine, Denso Electric and the Iowa Energy Center. A new UNI solar electric boat team, including students in the EIET and manufacturing programs, will participate in the 2004 World Championship on June 16-20.

Another renewable energy application that Pecen has worked on is a digital display, outside of the UNI Industrial Technology Center, that is powered by solar energy. The display, which operates 24/7, is powered by three 100W solar panels above it. Pecen can change the message on the display from his computer. The digital display unit is a good learning tool for EIET students who complete the overall process from design through final construction. Pecen and production lab technician Tim Earles supervised senior EIET and construction students for the digital display project.

Pecen's current project, with department head Mohammed Fahmy, involves installing a windmill and a hydropower station at Hickory Hills Park, located about 25 miles southeast of Cedar Falls. The windmill features a new configuration designed by a private donor who is funding the project. One of the drawbacks in using conventional windmills has been the potential danger of the blades throwing out small particles of ice. In this new design the blades are covered; air is drawn in from one side of the blades and expelled from the other side. The design should also promote higher power output because the blades will be turning in a partial wind tunnel and much less power will be lost.

The design for the hydro turbine is also new. Although the system resembles a micro-hydro, or small-scale hydropower station, its design, which Pecen, Fahmy, and their undergraduate senior design students are still testing, will be unique. The DC power generated from both wind and hydro stations will be supplied to a battery bank for storage and converted to AC and/or used directly in DC form.

As part of the project, Pecen and his students are also monitoring how windy the site is. Students have installed an anemometer, a small sensor to monitor wind speed and wind direction, and they log the wind data to a laptop computer in the park site. Real-time data monitoring is also planned. Plans for a future expansion include the addition of solar power. Ten solar panels with a total power capacity of 1200 kW may provide additional reliability and green electricity, especially on hot summer days. Similar power stations could be used at any windy location or at places with access to a river. For example, a remote farm, for which energy costs would be boosted by electrical transmission charges, would be ideal for wind-solar-micro-hydro applications.

Following is a selected list of Pecen's publications related to the work discussed above, his e-mail address, and the addresses of two websites with more detailed information.