JELI, July 26 (Bernama) -- Jeli Kelantan Polytechnic (PJK) has successfully developed a solar panel system for buggy cars, the first of its kind in Kelantan, through the Solar Buggy Car Technology Innovation Project.
Its director Mohd Zamre Ab Rahman said the project, costing nearly RM300,000, was developed by 20 third-semester students pursuing the Diploma in Electrical Engineering (Green Energy) within about a month.
He said the project, led by lecturer Chung Boon Chuan, leveraged the basic knowledge and skills acquired by the students since their first semester.
"The solar panel system was installed on the buggy cars to enable their batteries to be charged using solar energy, thereby reducing dependence on electricity supply," he told reporters after a demonstration of the project at the polytechnic here today.
He said PJK now has six buggy cars equipped with solar panel systems, comprising four four-seater units and two two-seater units, with each unit costing about RM40,000.
Mohd Zamre said the innovation was in line with PJK's aspiration as a green campus committed to expanding the use of renewable energy to reduce dependence on electricity supply.
He said the Diploma in Electrical Engineering (Green Energy), which was first offered in July last year, had received encouraging response, with new student intake increasing from 40 to 80 for this year's session.
"The growth of the green energy industry in the country, particularly in Kelantan, including the development of solar farms in Tok Uban and Pasir Mas, has created more jobs and increased demand for the programme offered," he said.
He said the polytechnic also received a RM2 million allocation from the Ministry of Higher Education last year to upgrade its laboratories and equip them with new equipment and facilities to support teaching and learning in the field of green energy.
Besides serving as a learning platform, he said PJK was also ready to accept orders from the public and agencies for the installation of solar panel systems on buggy cars.
"This effort not only exposes students to the real-world application of renewable energy technology but also produces skilled graduates capable of meeting the needs of the growing green industry," he added.
-- BERNAMA