Project Spotlight

Green Bay East High School's Sun Runner

By Elisabeth Kuisis

There is a first for everything and because of the hard work and dedication of over 30 Green Bay East High School students and a grant from the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board, Wisconsin now has its first solar-electric vehicle. In 1997, when Wisconsin Public Service donated a 1989 Ford Ranger to Green Bay East High School, the journey began. Two different student groups from all disciplines worked on this project. The 1997-98 school year students made structural changes to the truck and the 1998-99 school year students performed the battery installation, wiring and testing. Over the two years, students converted the truck bed into a lifting hatch for easy access to its power source, replaced all internal combustion engine components with solar powered battery boxes and installed a 25-horsepower electric motor that was mated to a 5-speed transmission.

The final product, named the Sun Runner, contains eighteen 8-volt deep-cycle batteries that provide a working voltage of 144 volts. These are the same sort of batteries that power golf carts. The batteries charge through an on-board 220-volt charger and a computerized controller regulates power flow to the motor. The truck receives its power from an 11-kilowatt solar-electric panel array located on the school' s rooftop. The projected range of the truck is anywhere from 50 to 60 miles per charge and once fully charged, the Sun Runner can travel at speeds of up to 75 miles per hour. However, to achieve maximum range, the batteries should be discharged in a slower fashion, such as in city driving.

Overall, the project provided students with the best kind of learning. Students were involved in a very practical and applicable project that provided significant value and had a considerable impact on their life experiences. By their overall involvement, students were able to experience real-world learning and increase their basic knowledge of the various forms of alternative energy sources available to them.

Wisconsin Public Service, WPS Community Foundation and the SolarWise for Schools® program were all partners in this project. If you would like more information, please contact Wisconsin Public Service at 1-800-450-7260.

Lis is a Communication Specialist with the Transportation Section of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Milwaukee office.