Even though on Feb. 2 the groundhog小蝌蚪APP檚 shadow indicated six more weeks of winter, UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 College of Engineering is hoping for a multitude of sunny days for semesters to come.
On Friday, Feb. 8, university officials accepted a donation of a SUV小蝌蚪APP攁 Solar Utility Vehicle小蝌蚪APP攆rom Glenn DaGian, a 1972 graduate who is director of Government Affairs for BP in Texas.
The SUV is equipped with two electric motors totaling 30 horsepower and more than 170 pound-feet of torque, making it one of the most powerful all-terrain vehicles available. Attached to the top of the SUV is BP小蝌蚪APP檚 185-watt solar panel, which augments the vehicle小蝌蚪APP檚 battery system and gives the SUV more range. The four-wheel drive vehicle is capable of seating four people, can carry up to 880 pounds and can maintain a speed of 20 miles per hour with a 30-mile range.
UL Lafayette engineering students will study the 小蝌蚪APP渟olar buggy小蝌蚪APP to continue to learn how solar power can be harnessed as a practical energy source.
小蝌蚪APP Very few schools can touch this type of technology,小蝌蚪APP said Dr. Mark Zappi, dean of Engineering. 小蝌蚪APP淪tudents will be able to study it and drive it. The benefits will go on for many years.小蝌蚪APP
DaGian, a political science graduate said the vehicle小蝌蚪APP檚 silent operation is an advantage and that the vehicle makes no pollution.
小蝌蚪APP The SUV is primarily useful for wildlife parks, areas where noise or pollution is a problem,小蝌蚪APP said DaGian.
Current uses for the solar buggy include wildlife areas such as Yellowstone National Park and the Sandy Point State National Park in Maryland. Other uses include wilderness and beach terrains, and DaGian said the solar panel could be adapted to applications involving boats.
DaGian and BP are also working on a charging station that uses solar panels to recharge the SUV when not in use, eliminating the need to have an electrical source to charge the buggy.
小蝌蚪APP My company is so progressive in these areas of alternative energy that they allow me the freedom to work on projects such as this.小蝌蚪APP
DaGian developed the solar panel and attached it to the vehicle, which was manufactured by Bad Boy Buggies in Natchez, Mississippi. The vehicle donated to UL Lafayette is the fourteenth SUV developed by DaGian, BP and Bad Boy Buggies.
The SUV was formally accepted by UL Lafayette President Dr. Ray Authement, Executive Director of 小蝌蚪APP Advancement Ken Ardoin and Zappi.
小蝌蚪APP I would love to be an engineering student here at UL Lafayette in these times,小蝌蚪APP said Authement. 小蝌蚪APP淲e had students launch a satellite into space on a Russian missile last year. We had an autonomous vehicle in DARPA小蝌蚪APP檚 Grand Challenge. We also have students developing a solar house to be displayed in Washington D.C. And now, we have this gift that our students will be able to study. It小蝌蚪APP檚 amazing what this college and its faculty have been able to accomplish.小蝌蚪APP
DaGian met his wife小蝌蚪APP攖he former Elonide Innes, a 小蝌蚪APP71 nursing graduate小蝌蚪APP攐n campus, and they have been married for more than 34 years.
小蝌蚪APP I lived a block off campus, DaGian said. 小蝌蚪APP淚 had a great four years here. It was terrific.小蝌蚪APP 小蝌蚪APP淢y foundation here at UL Lafayette helped me a lot.小蝌蚪APP
The DaGians have three sons: Danny, David and Darren.