Unveiling of PVAMU’s state-of-the-art solar laboratory: an example of sustainable engineering education

In a significant step forward in sustainable engineering education, Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) is proud to present its newest innovation, the Engineering Solar Lab. Opened on August 3, 2023, this state-of-the-art facility embodies PVAMU’s unwavering commitment to renewable energy research and education.

The solar lab has been carefully designed to accommodate a sophisticated solar panel system. Taught by Dr. John Fuller, Dr. Ali and PhD student Anthony Hill. The lab aims to equip PhD and master’s students with the skills necessary to navigate the future engineering landscape, particularly in the area of ​​alternative energy.

Currently, the facility can be powered by solar energy and final preparations are underway to include floodlights, entrance gates, security systems and building infrastructure. With both single-phase 120V power and three-phase 208V power installed, the lab is ready to facilitate comprehensive research endeavors.

A recent milestone was the completion of the installation of the final solar panel system, highlighting the lab’s readiness for operations. The solar laboratory consists of five systems, equipped with two types of platforms – fixed and sun-tracking. This diversity of platform types allows for comprehensive exploration of solar energy capture methods, providing invaluable insights for future research and development.

Anthony Hill’s expertise was instrumental in implementing a live monitoring system in the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) building, enabling real-time tracking of solar lab performance via Wi-Fi connectivity. This system provides invaluable insight into voltage, current, power levels, charge/discharge status, power consumption trends and more, providing students and researchers with actionable data for their projects.

The Engineering Solar Lab, which currently has a capacity of approximately 45 kW, plans to increase its capacity to 500 kW, and will ultimately power the campus buildings. Situated adjacent to Highway 1098 on the northwest side of the PVAMU campus, the lab is already a beacon of sustainable engineering, illuminating the night with its green energy sources.

Contrary to misconceptions, laboratory activity does not increase the university’s electricity bills; instead, it uses free solar energy collected during the day for use at night, embodying sustainability. The Engineering Solar Lab, funded through a Department of Education Title III program, is expected to be fully operational soon in the 2024 summer session.

In addition to research, the facility will be seamlessly integrated with courses for PhD and master’s students, enriching their academic experience and supporting hands-on learning opportunities. It will serve as a platform for groundbreaking research, educational experiments, sensor projects, master’s and doctoral theses, strengthening PVAMU’s position as a leader in the field of sustainable engineering education.

As PVAMU continues to champion innovation and sustainability, the Engineering Solar Lab is a beacon of hope, inspiring future generations of engineering leaders prepared to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.

Quote from Dr. John Fuller: “Don’t blame engineering for unnecessarily increasing university electricity bills because it’s free energy. The entire photovoltaic facility is powered by solar energy. Collected from the sun during the day and used at night by stored solar energy. All energy dissipated in the solar lab comes from solar energy, which will enable our engineering students to conduct experimental educational work on Senor projects, master’s theses and PhD theses. The lab was developed with Department of Education Title III funding and will be fully operational during the 2024 summer session.”