Sustainable Low-cost Household Energy Systems: Solar Photovoltaic and Shallow Geothermal Systems
- Conference
- Location
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Virtual On line
- Publication Date
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June 22, 2020
- Start Date
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June 22, 2020
- End Date
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June 26, 2021
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Energy Conversion and Conservation
- Page Count
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10
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--35261
- Permanent URL
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https://strategy.asee.org/35261
- Download Count
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394
Paper Authors
Michael F. MacCarthy
Mercer University
orcid.org/0000-0003-4224-9894
Michael MacCarthy is an Assistant Professor of Environmental and Civil Engineering at Mercer University, where he directs the Engineering for Development program (e4d.mercer.edu). He has 20+ years of experience in water resources engineering, international development, and project management, including nearly a decade living and working in less-developed countries (as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon, an infrastructure and community development engineer in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, and Mauritania, and an engineering for development researcher in Madagascar, Bolivia, South Africa, Mozambique, and the Dominican Republic).
Michelle E. Graham Mercer University
Michelle is an Environmental Engineering student at Mercer University, graduating in May of 2021. Her areas of interest include sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy, and engineering for development. She is a Goldwater Scholar, Hollings Scholar, and Stamps Scholar.
Gabriel Xavier Ramirez Mercer University
Gabriel Ramirez is currently an Environmental Engineering graduate student of Mercer University, pursuing a graduate concentration in Engineering for Development. He also works full-time for Terracon Consultants, Inc., in the Environmental and Geotechnical sector. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Mercer University in 2016, Gabriel served in the Peace Corps in Vanuatu as a WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) volunteer on small remote islands.
Alviez Aziz Chagan Mercer University
Alviez is studying Mechanical Engineering at Mercer University. He interned at BASF for the summer of 2019 as a Quality Control Engineer at their McIntyre, GA plant. He enjoys hobbies that aim to utilize his engineering mindset and business experiences such as 3D printing and computer/cellphone repair services. Alviez hopes to use his skills in engineering to advance in renewable energy (particularly solar) or sustainable transportation sectors.
Kyla T. Semmendinger
Cornell University
orcid.org/0000-0002-0976-0140
Kyla is a PhD student at Cornell University in Biological and Environmental Engineering. Her major concentration is in eco-hydrology with minor concentrations in Risk Analysis and Management and Community Natural Resource Management. She graduated from Mercer University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering and minors in Spanish, Chemistry, and Engineering for Development. Her current research focuses on water resource management and stakeholder interaction, with an emphasis on risk communication. In addition to research activities, Kyla serves as a coastal resiliency outreach intern for New York Sea Grant and the President of the Cornell Graduate Society of Women Engineers. Kyla is a 2020 NSF Graduate Research Fellow, a 2020 Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research Graduate Research Fellow in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, and a 2017 Goldwater Scholar.
Abstract
An innovative research, service, and teaching initiative led by the Engineering for Development (E4D) program at Mercer University focuses on education, applied research, and service that aims to improve environmental practices at the household level in Macon, Georgia, USA (including water and energy efficiency; re-use and recycling; and use of renewable energy technologies). It focuses on cost-effective solutions that are intended to improve the local environment while saving households money over the medium- and long-term, with key aspects incorporated into Mercer University’s environmental engineering curriculum.
This paper focuses on sustainable design and implementation of low-cost renewable energy technologies, specifically low-cost solar photovoltaic systems and shallow geothermal heat pump systems, and use of these technologies in academic teaching. Social Marketing (‘marketing behavior change’) is central to the design and implementation of the initiative.
A low-cost ’Solar Self-Supply’ starter solar photovoltaic kit was designed, constructed, and monitored over 4 years (2016-2020). This affordable, expandable system encourages local households to take advantage of recent drops in prices in photovoltaic panels, as well as partial federal subsidies for the entire cost of solar household systems. System design, construction, and testing results are discussed, as are project implementation strategies.
The second form of low-cost renewable household energy studied is a shallow geothermal heating and cooling system, which utilizes manual well drilling to install a vertical loop, used in a split geothermal heat pump system. The largest cost component in shallow geothermal systems is the installation of the wells. Thus, using low-cost drilling options makes system installation more economically feasible for households. A preliminary design of the vertical loop was installed in a manually drilled well on Mercer University’s Macon campus and monitored in Spring 2018.
Key technical, community development, and socio-economic aspects of the initiative have been incorporated into teaching in a senior and master’s level Green Engineering course at Mercer University.
MacCarthy, M. F., & Graham, M. E., & Ramirez, G. X., & Chagan, A. A., & Semmendinger, K. T. (2020, June), Sustainable Low-cost Household Energy Systems: Solar Photovoltaic and Shallow Geothermal Systems Paper presented at 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual On line . 10.18260/1-2--35261
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