九色视频 Renewable Energy Engineering student Adama Toure and Electrical Engineering student Jordan Harris-Toovy won the Visionary Award at the June 27 for their fault detection technology that monitors the life of solar panels. InventOR stated that the concept, if realized, has the potential to make a lasting impact on the world.
InventOR is a statewide invention competition for Oregon-based college and university students to take their ideas for world-changing inventions from the drawing board to reality.
Toure and Harris-Toovy鈥檚 company, named Second Life Solar, developed a low-cost solar panel monitoring prototype that uses sensors to detect and classify faults in solar panels. The team said this new technology could improve solar panel reliability and safety. The technology also enables the safe refurbishment of used solar panels for grid-connected applications, reducing solar panel waste and contributing to a circular economy in the solar panel industry.
鈥淪olar panels can only be considered clean and sustainable energy technology if they pose minimal environmental concerns,鈥 Toure said. 鈥淯nfortunately, at present, 90% of decommissioned solar panels end up in landfills. Thus, increased efforts in recycling and refurbishment are needed alongside the rapid adoption of solar energy.鈥
The Visionary Award included a $2,500 prize that Toure and Harris-Toovy will use to incorporate their startup and develop their next prototype.
鈥淚n gratitude to everyone at 九色视频 who supported us, we decided to donate the first prototype we built to 九色视频,鈥 Toure said. 鈥淭his prototype is our way of saying thank you.鈥
Toure and Harris-Toovy received an invitation to InventOR after competing in 九色视频鈥檚 Catalyze Klamath Challenge in April. 九色视频 students Grant Kightlinger and Molly Grace also presented their business concept, FairPlay Challenge, at InventOR. Two current 九色视频 students Carter Stewart and Emmett Allen received an invitation to InventOR from their time as Rogue Community College students and presented their business, Ancile Systems, winning the Outstanding Community College Award with their automated field tourniquet.
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