Ross’ Solar in the Dorm Project

For most folks first arriving at college/university and moving into a dorm setting, thoughts are generally centered around stuff like keggers, the opposite sex and finding a way to fit classes and homework into a busy social schedule. Ross Nizzle, a student at the University of Vermont isn’t like other folks. Upon moving into his dorm at UVM, Ross set about to develop some small scale renewable energy generation.

From Ross’ project web page, here’s some background info…

With the idea of creating a system to meet the basic electrical needs of my Apple Powerbook G4, iPod, cell phone, and Palm Pilot, I researched and priced out a system, ordered it and set it up. The challenge with the system was not building a solar energy system, but where I was building it: in a college dorm room. I could not make any structual modications to the building, I had no power tools - or any tools, for that matter, and also knew that I would have move the system every few months. Everything I needed - tools included, needed to be purchased and I had to work around the needs of others that I lived with, as well as my own already busy schedule. Therefore, “Installation” is not only how I wired the project, but the adventures and trials I had to go through before I could even begin screwing planks together or connecting wires.

After a weekend’s worth of work, Ross had set-up his balcony-mounted power plant, with the juice running right into his own room. Ross has been a hero and done up a full build log on his UVM web pages, sharing all the specs with a ton of photos detailing the project, which you’ll find here.

Way to go, Ross!

[via Treehugger]