Solar Power for Buses

Written by Zachary Shahan
Published on March 7th, 2010
1 Comment
Posted in Clean Energy, Solar Energy, Transportation Tech

A bus powered with solar energy. That gets my blood moving!

SunPods Inc., a California-based manufacturer of modular, fully integrated and tested solar power generation systems, and Bauer Intelligent Transportation, a leading provider of chauffeured green transportation, recently teamed up to create what they say is the “first solar power-assist system for buses.”

And the system was developed in less than six weeks!

The SunPods Sun Bus Power System™ “consists of four thin film solar panels that run the length of the bus and charge an on-board battery bank. When the bus engine is off, the batteries power the air-conditioning and wireless connectivity equipment, enabling transportation companies to effectively meet anti-idling standards without compromising passenger comfort.”

“We support the state’s strong commitment to reducing pollution. At the same time, as a transportation provider, we wanted to meet our customers’ requirements for comfort and connectivity,” stated Gary Bauer, founder and owner of Bauer’s Intelligent Transportation. “SunPods was able to make our vision a reality in less than 6 weeks. We’ve been testing the bus for the past 4 weeks and we’re impressed with the reliable performance.”

The push to create this innovative system came from a 2008 California state law. The law prohibits diesel vehicles from idling for more than 5 minutes in order to protect air quality.

The impetus and idea may have come from California, but this is a technology that could be used all around the world. Over 25 states have anti-idling laws. Bus or other transportation companies and organizations in these states could surely benefit from this technology. See a bus in your area without solar panels on top? Give the relevant people a call and let them know about this new technology.

Image Credit: mark silva via flickr under a CC license

You Might Also Like

«
»

One Response to “Solar Power for Buses”

  1. Frank Hanlan Says:
    March 7th, 2010 at 12:45 pm

    Sounds like a great plan. What are bus manufacturers and other bus companies doing?