Hannah Orlow Helps Meet Energy Needs and Build Education Tool

2013 May 6

Hannah Orlow of Jordan, Minnesota, is part of a team of three senior engineering majors at Dordt brought their finished Solar Power Generation System to the Education Concerns for Hunger Organization (ECHO) headquarters in Fort Myers, Florida, in April.

Hannah Orlow, Ryan Tholan, and Tyler Woudstra planned and built the machine as part of their Senior Design II class this spring. It gives ECHO an alternative source of energy and allows them to use the solar generator as an educational tool for employees who travel around the world to aid in stopping hunger.

"The beauty of this design is that it is made from parts that can be bought off the shelves, and we labeled and documented it so any non-engineer could compile and construct their own," said Tholen.

The Dordt engineering department chose to take up ECHO's request for a concept design for such a generator. The Dordt students' design was chosen over that from a team at another college. The engineering department is excited about other possible applications for the student-designed machine.

ECHO works with many agricultural development workers and missionaries who go to various parts of the world, and our students' design gives us a chance to help in their mission," said Engineering Professor Nolan Van Gaalen.

"This project was a great way for Dordt to continue building relationships with ECHO, an organization that has already worked with our agriculture department," said Tholen.

The solar generator has a capacity of 2.3 kilowatts and can do anything from running a village's water pump to charging cell phones.

"This kind of project is what you hope for as a student engineer," Tholen said. "It's a chance to meet needs in a positive way."

"This design has almost endless possibilities," Van Gaalen said. "It's meant to stand alone, run without being connected to a power source, and store energy. It's easy to put together and can easily be scaled up or down to any needs. Now ECHO is going to be able to share with their constituents how this tool can aid them in the field."

Dordt's new science building will include a similarly designed generator that can be used to provide power and as an educational example for students at Dordt.

"It's great being part of a project where you not only get to create an idea but you get to see it come to fruition and help people for years to come," Orlow said.

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, the mission of Dordt College is to equip students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, is a comprehensive college named to the best college lists by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review. To learn more about Dordt College, visit www.dordt.edu.