The Company
Solatec Corporation (formerly Solar Aero) is
led by alternative energy developer Howard J.
Fuller.
In 1998, Howie decided to put into action some of the ideas he had been
mulling over during his 37 years of aviation maintenance experience. Having
worked on everything from Piper Cubs to 747s, he decided to develop a
solar aircraft.
A hybrid Toyota Prius was purchased in 2001, in anticipation of using the
gas/electric-powered car engine for the aircraft. But while researching
photovoltaic materials for the aircraft, Howie realized the flexible solar
panels he had found would also work well on the car.
Solatec's Solar Aircraft was issued U.S. Patent No. 7,278,607 in
October 2007. And in 2005, the Prius Solar Panel Kit became
Solatec’s first product to be introduced to the public.
Solatec's
aircraft design is uniquely UAV-flight-capable.
And there is considerable interest in government
circles in long duration, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight.
The company's
rooftop-mounted, flexible (conformal)
photovoltaic module for automobiles appeared at the same time
gas prices were topping $3 per gallon in the United States.
Solatec is now offering the
patent-pending automotive photovoltaic panel kit,
complete with control circuits, to dealerships and
installation centers.
Plans are in the works to
create similar systems for
other hybrid electric vehicles.
You can see the photovoltaic modules in action,
looking
just like racing stripes, on the rooftop of
Howie's
Toyota Prius.
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