The Moss Solar Trust

For the SolaRola Adventure we have built a solar quadricycle based on the Brox 4 wheel chassis with very light and efficient panels on the roof.   This vehicle will make a major contribution to Sustainable Transport and shows that the Adventure has already made a major technical breakthrough.

To add conventional solar PV panels would have made the vehicle over weight and reduced stability so specially made panels were sourced from Germany having an efficiency of 22% and weighing including the backing less than 1 Kg.   We are most grateful to Herr Hans Gochermann for making these super efficient ultra light panels.

Early tests have shown that a fat unfit pensioner might in theory get from London to Somerset on a good sunny day and the vehicle is superb for local trips especially shopping. 

On the journey to The Royal Bath and West Show leaving Parliament Square on May 21^st collections will be made for Help 4 Heroes. Come and see the wonder solar vehicle at The Royal Bath and West Show Shepton Mallett Somerset  from May 28^th to May 31st

The Annie Maw SolaRola Adventure - May 21^st to May 26^th 2008
From Central London to the Royal Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet

Annie Maw will be High Sheriff of Somerset in 2008 and to demonstrate that solar power is ideal for charging wheelchairs and to publicise the Royal Bath and West Show she will be accompanied by other solar wheelchairs and solar vehicles traveling from London to the Showground.   Following a riding accident Annie is a paraplegic and as part of her year of office as High Sheriff she will demonstrate how physically challenged people can participate in projects to reduce Climate Change and ensure power at all times for transport.  The wheelchair is a very good vehicle to run off solar power as wheelchairs are light, efficient and usually electric powered.  Her own solar wheelchair is a modified Tramper which is a class 3 registered vehicle that is capable of cross country use, climbs curbs and can travel on the roads at 8 mph.  The Moss Solar Trust is assisting in the Adventure and will provide a solar wheelchair plus encouraging others to build and participate.  We are keen that the adventure also moves forward solar transport and is used as testing session for various designs and improvements.  Different solar panels will be tested as well as battery types.

The Tramper is not exclusive and other models will be welcomed. It is hoped that the solar wheelchairs will participate in the Solar Wheelchair Celebrity Gymkhana and there will be a Solarola class at the 2008 Royal Bath and West Show next May open to Schools, business and individuals.

On Wednesday May 21^st next year a cavalcade will set out from central London.  Over the following five days we plan to visit several prominent locations including the National Trust properties at Ham House and Stourhead, the Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park, Stratfield Saye and Chitterne on our way to the Royal Bath and West Showground at Shepton Mallet.

We will be travelling in solar powered vehicles of several shapes and sizes.  These will be driven, in relay, by teams of people including celebrities, in a display which demonstrates the effectiveness of solar energy when used to power transport vehicles. Solar transport really works, is economic against taxed petrol and diesel and will be the future for PHEV's (Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicles).

In the meantime wheelchairs are great vehicles to start with as it gives disabled people a real chance to be in the forefront of reducing emissions from transport and wheelchairs being electric, light, legal for the roads and very efficient are perfect vehicles to make solar.   This adventure, publicity and the research will make a positive difference to climate change.

The intention of our cavalcade is not to set up a competition but to encourage debate into the subject of power, of carbon emissions and their influence on current trends of climate change.  We will finish our journey in the EcoZone at the Royal Bath and West Showground on the eve of the annual show. Here the subject has been under scrutiny for a number of years. The Royal Bath and West Show was the first to hold a Sustainable Transport Class in the UK if not world wide. Out of 23 exhibits including Biodiesel, Bioethanol, Biogas, Hydrogen fuel cells, electric etc it was solar transport that won the land and sea sections and most of the prizes.  

We hope that those who see us as we travel across southern England will follow us to our destination. There they will see exhibits and activities which illustrate alternatives for the current profligate and wasteful way with which we generate and use power.  In the EcoZone there will be examples of many lines of research into the problems we, in the developed world, face when we look at the future of this planet.  Some possible solutions will be on display.  Our responsibilities for the third world too will be represented here with exhibits of, for example, transport vehicles currently in use in India, in our Sustainable Transport Class.  The SolaRola Competition will demonstrate how wheelchairs could be powered through electricity generated by solar energy – the technology developed here could also contribute to the welfare of disabled people in other less fortunate areas of the world.

On arrival at the Bath and West showground we will hold a Technical Conference in order to discuss data gathered during the journey.  Specific details of performance will be collected from each vehicle for comparison so that the experience will contribute to advances into uses of solar energy for transport.

Preparations for the SolaRola Adventure are now underway and we are hoping for help and support from all interested parties.   Everyone is welcome.  The enterprise is entirely dependent on voluntary contribution and effort.  All those approached so far have been extremely enthusiastic and encouraging.  Please join in if you can.

These are some of the areas for which we are looking for assistance, for example:- 

O    LUNCH AND EVENING RECEPTIONS – sponsorship and food and drink

O    PUBLICITY *Sponsorship of each team of drivers will go to the charity of their choice.  In the case of The Moss Solar Trust SolaRola it will go to Help for Heroes

Royal Bath and West Show 2008

Exhibits at the show include vehicles and boats powered by Biodiesel, Biogas, Bioethanol, Plant Oil, Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Electricity.

Downloads:

Speech at Hoares Bank by Malcolm Moss at the Launch of the SolaRola Adventure

Rules & regulations

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Solar Boat "The Julia Moss"

Julia Moss played a very important part in the solar project as it was she who when Malcolm returned enthused by Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar to build a solar boat found the relevant contacts in the Electric Boat Association that made the design and building possible.

In her memory, Julia & Malcolm Moss's sons James and Simon have raised funds from 78 contributors to build a new solar boat called "The Julia Moss", it is hoped the project will be finished in 2007.  Like the RA 11 the new boat will operate on Lake Pichola, Udaipur, be able to carry 10 passengers but will have a more efficient hull. Various electric outboards have been under test for 2 years.   Experience has shown that we need a pod motor due to the high temperatures and the power requirement is a minimum of 2 HP.

Data Logging and Long term Testing of Solar Vehicle

A protocol has been agreed with the Rana Pratap University in Udaipur to rigorously test a 3 wheeled 36 Volt solar vehicle.   MMCF  and Mosssolar are providing the know how and design of the vehicle and Mosssolar will provide 3 Lahk Rupees ($6,000) towards the project cost.  The University has found a similar sum and the Ministry for Non Conventional Energy is contributing further funds.  The object is to have an official test result, test improvements in all parts and register the final vehicle for road use.   MMCF and Mosssolar will have quarterly meetings and be free to publicise the progress and results.   The University has been rewarded with this contract due to their exceptional progress in solar systems ranging from a solar energy park, solar cooker design and solar seed drying. 

Kerala Solar Boats Project

Kerala Boat

Click to enlarge images

current propulsion

We are teaming up with a group to convert a day boat and a houseboat to solar power as a demonstration project to allow others to follow.

Kerala Solar Project update May 2007

Trustee Yvers Lancaster and Malcolm Moss visited the Kumarakon Resort in Kerala in March to check on feasibility of converting a day boat.   We took a Minn Kota 65T electric outboard from The Moss Solar Trust and Kumarakon provided the solar panels, 2 large truck batteries and a solar controller.  To our surprise we found that many of the rice boats which sleep from 2 to 8 guests had solar panels on the roof which were used for lighting and the A/C and to obtain a Green Palm Certificate these had to be installed together with pump out sewage tanks.   So the great news is solar is common place and there is a real desire to be eco friendly.

Although no one has tried to use solar for the transport power they were very quick to understand the concept and soon had a 6 passenger day boat fitted out with 6 x 70 Watt solar panels and a charge controller connecting to 2 large 12 Volt truck batteries.  We added the Electric outboard and set sail.  These boats are extremely heavy with solid timber construction with perhaps a weight of 3.5 tons so it took a good 30 seconds to get up to full speed but this was in silence without the noise and fumes of the petrol outboards which are all stamped as 9.5 HP but are Yamaha 14 HP models re-branded to reduce customs duty.   We travelled down the lake and up one of the small waterways in such silence it was hard to believe we were under mechanical power and many boats came over with cries of “Eco friendly”.   The power consumption was  :-

The trials at the Kumarakon Resort were so successful that we left the motor with them for further testing and we gather the boat is now in regular use.  We are arranging for a 2.0 HP motor to be tested by them on the houseboats and we hope to convert them to solar power.   The back waters are close to the sea and bad weather can be an issue.  It is likely that when the 2.0 HP motors are installed we will leave the present outboards to supplement in windy conditions and possibly for the crossing of the lake.  It is hoped the next visit will be in August.   Our objective is to change all the boats over to solar electric so we will be looking to persuade agencies to give grants and any private finance initiatives will be welcomed.

However it is highly desirable to plant in arid areas rather than cultivated land where it would replace food crops needed by the indigenous population.  We are continuing our research and looking at a subsidy scheme to ensure arid areas are planted which would fit in with carbon set off for air travel etc.

Research is being considered in to the running of Lister diesel water pumps and  generators with filtered Jatropha Oil.  When you walk in the Aravelli hills around Udaipur you come across frequent dirty oil patches where diesel has been spilt from the water pumps used for irrigation.   This diesel has been carried on buses and then by hand long journeys up in to the hill villages.  It would be so much more efficient to teach the hill farmers how to grow and refine Jatropha also giving them some electricity at a lower cost than solar PV.

Any donations are welcome and £2,000 will cover the conversion of basic Whisper.  There will then be another location operating solar boats and others will follow their fine example.

website: www.wbba.co.za

Copyright © 2008  - The Moss Solar Trust