It’s Earth Day … Again. Sometimes I feel like Bill Murray in the movie “Groundhog Dog” (since the other Earth Day was celebrated on March 20 this year). Well, get up all you woodchuck chuckers and celebrate the environment and take one small step today in making this world a greener place.
This week I had the pleasure of communicating with John Weng, the project manager for a California student-run high school project led by the Los Altos Academy of Engineering (LAAE).
Students in Hacienda Heights, CA have created a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine car they are calling HICE. The term HICE (and sometimes H2ICE on this website) is an acronym for Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine.
The students have decided to forgo the popular hydrogen fuel cell car in favor of a high mileage vehicle using a four-stroke engine that will compete in next year’s U. S. Shell Eco Marathon.
According to Mr. Weng, “Mike Keirns was the instructor who started the idea back in the 2007-2008 school year. From there, it became our flagship vehicle. We originally planned on competing in the Shell Eco-marathon and we were actually the first high school to create a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle as well back in 2007, winning first place. We intend to enter HICE next year for the Shell Eco-marathon. HICE is different from your published vehicle in that it does not require any gasoline whatsoever and runs on a student modified engine.”
LAAE will be showing off their HICE vehicle (pictured) at their open house, May 8, 2010. Several political figures (such as Congresswoman Grace Napolitano) and other VIP attendees are expected to join in the festivities.
It’s important for the scientists, researchers and engineers of tomorrow to get a head start today in hydrogen fuel technology. LAAE continues to be a leader in such technology preparing students for high tech job markets that will pay good wages for years to come.
And with any luck, they will not be forced to listen to repeated choruses of “Babe, I got you Babe”. Happy Earth Day everyone … again!
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