A new designed charging station on the campus of the University of Twente, as part of the next phase of the Living Smart Campus project ‘Solar powered e-bikes,’ is ready for use.
The charging station is placed next to the Spiegel and offers one of the three charging techniques which participants in the project can opt to use. The other two are namely an integrated solar wheel in an e-bike and a home charging kit.
This new charging station provides 100% green energy for six e-bikes at the same time. Six users of an e-bike can use the charging station daily to charge their bike while they are working. It is an opportunity for the users to test this new technology and thus contribute to the research.
The measurements are planned to start at the end of February 2018 and last for 3 up to maximum 4 weeks. During the tests, the participants are asked to use their e-bike following their daily routine, while getting it charged using the charging station. Furthermore, some questionnaires will be distributed to the participants at the beginning of the test, during the test and after completing the test procedure. Georgia Apostolou, who is working on this test phase as a postdoc researcher, will also take some interviews personally.
WANT TO PARTICIPATE?
Still some UT-participants are required for testing the charging station. So if you are interested and you own an e-bike, please contact Georgia Apostolou.
DESIGN
Dr Angèle Reinders (ARISE at Design, Production and Management, UT), who initiated the Living Smart Campus project ‘Solar powered e-bikes’, has been designing the charging station together with colleagues from the Department of Design Production and Management and the Department of Transport Studies at the Faculty of Engineering Technology, together with Facility Management and the companies ‘Bordbusters’ (construction SLBS), ‘Zelziuz’ (PV panels and Invertor) and ‘IpsumEnergy’ (measurement equipment). Zelziuz and IpsumEnergy are both located in the region, so together with the UT this is a good example of national and regional innovative partnership with a potential global impact.
LIVING SMART CAMPUS
The ‘Solar powered e-bike’ project is part of the University of Twente’s Living Smart Campus programme, which is aimed at fulfilling the potential of the campus. The Living Smart Campus programme is a collection of campus development projects (involving education, research and/or the support departments) which use the campus as a living lab.
More information is available at: www.utwente.nl/livingsmartcampus
If you would like to get involved in this research project please contact Karst Geurs or Angele Reinders.
