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THE USE OF SOLAR POWER TO OPERATE MOTORCYCLE

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A RESEARCH

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Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology

Bangued Campus, Bangued Abra

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In partial fulfillment

of the Requirements for RESEARCH

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VILLALOBOS, EEZRAH FRANCHIESKA P.

O’REILLY, DJOLUM HERALD MARX

2021
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CERTIFICATION

This thesis entitled “THE USE OF SOLAR POWER TO OPERATE

MOTORCYCLE”, prepared by, FRANCHIESKA EZRA VILLALOBOS and

DJOLUM HERALD MARX O’REILLY , in partial fulfillment for the Practical

Research 2, has been examined and hereby recommended for acceptance for oral

defense.

______________________________________

Adviser

_____________________________________

Critic
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APPROVAL SHEET

Approved by the panel of examiners on Oral Defense with a grade of

________________________.

______________________ _______________________

Panel Member Panel Member

____________________________

Panel Chairman

Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of requirements for Practical

Research 2.
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Acknowledgement

First and foremost, we owe a debt of gratitude to Ms. Kate Beronilla, our teacher, for

her excellent guidance, unwavering support, and patience during our studies. Their

vast knowledge and wealth of expertise have aided us throughout my academic

research and daily life. We would like to express our gratitude to all members of the

REKTA FAMILY. It is because of their generous assistance and support that our

studies and lives at ASIST have been so enjoyable. Finally, we'd want to thank our

parents, siblings, and other members of our family. It would have been difficult for us

to finish our research without their wonderful understanding and encouragement

throughout the last few years.

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Abstract

In many regions of the world, battery-powered electric motorcycles are replacing

severely polluting internal combustion engines, providing zero-emission

transportation. Massive economic growth, which leads to increasing authorization

and city development, is taking longer and growing more difficult to achieve. As a

result, our electric two-wheelers are more efficient and emit less air pollution per km

than other modes, increasing mobility and access to opportunities as a result of

increased speed and range.

Battery-powered vehicles are gradually replacing severely polluting motorcycles with

four-stroke engines, providing zero-emission mobility. However, due to the time

necessary to charge batteries and the lack of charging infrastructure, many people

have yet to adopt them. Bicycles or the provision of pedestrian amenities have

traditionally been the focus of sustainable and practical personal mobility solutions

for city environments. However, many cities suffer with traffic congestion, parking

issues, and pollution caused by fossil-fueled automobiles. It appears that pedal power

alone has not been sufficient to replace the use of gasoline and diesel vehicles to yet,

therefore it is time to look into the reasons for the continued use of ecologically

unfriendly transportation, as well as alternative remedies.

The project's main goal is to utilise incoming solar energy as a source of power for a

two-wheeled motorcycle. The goal of this project is to develop a solar-powered car

that does not pollute the environment.

The main goal of this project is to construct a hardware model of a Solar Electric

Vehicle with the goal of reducing total carbon emissions from fossil fuel vehicles. We

did everything we could to make the vehicle a symbol of a greener environment. This

idea combines the use of incoming power with the production of solar panels.
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A rechargeable battery pack powers a light-weight motor unit mounted on the wheel

in this project. The solar electric bicycle takes a different technique. To address the

issue and weaknesses, this project will need to do research and study in order to build

superior technology. The major goal of this project is to design an electric vehicle

hardware model in order to reduce total carbon emissions caused by fossil fuel

vehicles.

We did everything we could to make the vehicle a symbol of a greener environment. It

also intends to demonstrate how this vehicle contributes to quick progress toward a

greener future. Batteries, a motor, a controller, a speed control unit, a battery

charger unit, and a throttle are all used in an electric vehicle. To make it a success,

we need to know numerous things, including what will be the prime mover, how to

store it, and the benefits of this new vehicle.

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Table of Contents

Preliminaries Page

Title Page ………………………………………………………………………….. i

Certification………………………………………………………………... ii

Approval Sheet…………………………………………………………….. iii

Acknowledgement………………………………………………................. iv

Dedication………………………………………………………………….. v

Abstract…………………………………………………………………….. vi

Table of Contents…………………………………………………………... vii

List of Figure………………………………………………………………. viii

List of Tables………………………………………………………………. ix

List of Appendices…………………………………………………………. x

CHAPTER

1. THE PROBLEM

Background of the Study…………………………………………... 1

Theoretical Framework……………………………………………. 5

Conceptual Framework……………………………………………. 9

Statement of the Problem…………………………………………... 11

2. DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Research Design……………………………………………………. 14

Population and Locale of the Study………………………………… 14

Data Gathering Tool………………………………………………… 15

Data Gathering Procedure…………………………………………… 15

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Statistical Treatment of Data………………………………………………

15

3. PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

4. SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENTIONS

Summary……………………………………………………………………...

Findings……………………………………………………………………….

Conclusions……………………………………………………………………

Recommendations…………………………………………………………….

REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………….

APPENDICES………………………………………………………………………...

DOCUMENTATIONS……………………………………………………………….

CURRICULUM VITAE…………………………………………………………….
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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The solar electric bicycle is designed to be a challenge to acquire the maximum pedal

assistance possible from the solar panel utilized on sunny summer days. The solar

electric bicycle is a fun way to go around. When not powered, it may not cost much

more energy to ride a solar electric bicycle than it does to ride a regular bicycle. Even

if the sun isn't shining or the batteries are dead, the bicycle should still be able to run

light. Because the battery is only charged once at home, e-bikes require large and

heavy batteries to allow for long distance riding.

The solar bike method is unique. The PV panels are powerful enough to provide a

limitless range for the bicycle.

The battery is lightweight and compact. Despite the lack of sunlight, the battery may

be fast charged en route in roughly 30 minutes using 12V 12 Ah * 2 LA batteries and

a 220V AC, 50 Hz, 1.0A charger. However, we will require a site, such as a café that

allows us to use the mains. Another way to charge the battery is to use a fan or a 24V

DC fan to make a handmade windmill (a prototype of the fan has been shown in the

bicycle). The fan is mounted above the bicycle's front wheel and is powered by one of

the bicycle's 12V batteries.

While the bicycle is in motion, the battery will be charged. This method of charging

the battery will come in handy on cloudy days. The solar bike isn't designed to save

electricity. A bicycle is a very energy-efficient mode of transportation. The cost of the

electrical energy required to bike for an entire day is really low. This is insignificant

in terms of energy savings. A solar bicycle or tricycle has the advantage of being light
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and may augment the power provided by the solar panel roof with the rider's foot

power. This allows for the operation of a relatively basic and inexpensive vehicle

without the usage of fossil fuels.

1.2 Theoretical Framework

A brushless DC motor (BLDC) is a synchronous electric motor that runs on direct

current (DC) and features an electronically controlled commutation mechanism rather

than a mechanical commutation mechanism based on brushes. Current, torque,

voltage, and rpm are all linearly connected in such motors. Higher efficiency and

dependability, lower noise, longer lifetime, elimination of ionizing sparks from the

commutator, and overall decrease of electromagnetic interference are all advantages

of BLDC (EMI).

When it comes to automotive cruise control, it is designed to keep the vehicle's speed

at a consistent level set by the driver. The car is the system in this example.
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The output is the vehicle speed, whereas the control is the vehicle throttle, which

affects the engine torque output. One method of implementing cruise control is to lock

the throttle at the intended speed, but when the car encounters a hill, it will slow up

and accelerate down.

In fact, any parameter that differs from what was expected at design time, such as the

vehicle's true mass, wind resistance, and tire pressure, would result in a proportional

mistake in the output velocity. Because there is no direct relationship between the

system's output (engine torque) and the actual conditions encountered, this form of

controller is known as an open-loop controller. This means that the system does not

and cannot correct for unanticipated forces.

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1.3 Conceptual Framework

Before the analyses of the data are discussed, a conceptual model of the research is

presented. To create this conceptual model, literature is studied. Since the solar bike is

like a normal e-bike, but with an extra battery charging option, literature regarding e-

bikes and bicycle commuting is reviewed.

This research analyzes the performance of the solar bike which can be divided into

three categories: energy production of the solar bike, user satisfaction of the solar

bike, and consideration to use a solar bike for commuting (likelihood to buy,

willingness to pay). The influences on these categories that are considered in the

research can be divided into five categories: user characteristics, user attitudes,

commuting distance, parking strategy and weather conditions. In Figure 1 the

expected relationships between these categories are drawn. From the literature follows

that user characteristics, attitudes, and commuting distance have influence on

transportation mode choices of people. Therefore, it is likely that these factors

influence the user satisfaction. Furthermore, it is assumed that the user satisfaction has

its influence on the consideration to use a solar bike for commuting. No literature is

known on this relationship. There is also no literature on the influences on the energy

production of a solar bike. It is assumed that commuting distance, bike parking, and

weather conditions have influence on the energy production. Besides, it is expected

that the energy production has its influence on the user satisfaction.
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1.4 Statement of the Problem

Transportation mode choices of commuters play role in the research. Assumed is that

the solar bike is equivalent to a regular e-bike. To get more insight in the differences

between regular cyclists and ebike users and their transportation mode choice reasons,

the following question (1) is stated: 1. What are differences between e-bike

commuters and regular bicycle commuters? To answer this question (1), OViN data

from 2013 (CBS, 2014), 2014 (CBS, 2015), and 2015 (CBS, 2016) is used to search

for differences between e-bike and regular bicycle usage. The following tasks were

set up:  Analyzing OViN data on differences between e-bike cyclists and regular
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cyclists;  Focus on commuters. The software used for the comparisons in the OViN

is IBM SPSS Statistics

2. What is the effect of different factors on the energy production of the solar bike?

Firstly, there is checked whether there is a correlation between the energy production

of the solar bike and the user satisfaction to see whether the energy production can be

related to the user satisfaction. Secondly, the relation between solar radiation, parking

strategies, and commuting distance and the energy production is analyzed. Posttest

survey data is used to collect data related to parking strategies. Weather information

of KNMI is used to obtain data on solar radiation (KNMI, 2017). Because the energy

production is related to the solar radiation, the output variable of energy production is

also translated to a factor that can be seen as energy production efficiency towards the

available solar radiation. The following tasks were set up for this question (2): 

Converting the available solar bike energy production variable to an efficiency

variable;  Aggregating the available solar bike data;  Combining weather data with

the output variables of the solar bike;  Performing a correlation analysis between the

energy production and solar bike grading;  Combining the energy production data

with survey data;  Performing regression analyses between solar radiation and

energy production;  Combining the energy production data with KNMI weather

data, and survey data;  Two analyses: parking situation, traveling situation.

3. What is the user experience of the solar bike? To gather user experiences a posttest

survey is conducted under test-users. Participants gave a general grading on the solar

bike, gave insight in the purposes of their usage of the solar bike, commented on

hindrance of crosswind on the front wheel (which is covered due to the solar panels),

and gave their opinion on solar bike statements by means of a Likert scale. The

grading of participants for the solar bike is analyzed in combination with user
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experience factors. By means of a multiple regression analysis grades are tried to

forecast. The relation between crosswind hindrance and daily wind speed

measurements is also interesting, due to the covered front wheel, and is evaluated

with a correlation analysis.  The inventory of user experiences factors at T1; 

Reviewing of posttest survey results;  Performing a correlation analysis between

wind speeds and crosswind hindrance;  Combining survey data with KNMI weather

data;  Performing a multiple regression analysis between user experience factors and

solar bike grading.

1.5 Hypothesis

Actual differences between e-commuters and regular commuters cannot be found in

literature, nonetheless, important factors playing role in transportation mode choices

are found. Utility theory explains that people base their transport mode decisions on

cost, time, and effort (Heinen et al., 2010). The negative influence of hilliness (Heinen

et al., 2010), which affects the effort of cycling, is less for ecommuting than for

regular commuting, since e-commuting costs less effort due to the electric support. In

terms of time, e-commuting should have a higher probability, since the mean travel

speed of e-commuters is higher. The influence of weather conditions (Aarts et al.,

1997; Heinen et al., 2010; Heinen et al., 2011; Heinen et al., 2013; Vinken, 2016)

probably differs between e-commuting and regular commuting, since the electrical

support can compensate the effort needed to cycle with strong winds. The negative

influence of commuting distance on being a full-time cyclist (Heinen et al., 2013)

could be lesser for e-commuting than for regular commuting. When looking at

facilities at the workplace (Heinen et al., 2013; Wardman et al., 2007), charging
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facilities for e-bikes could increase the amount of e-commuters. Shower facilities are

less important for commuters who chose the e-bike so they transpire less. However,

secured bike parking could be more important, due to the value of e-bike compared

with the value of regular bicycles. The accessibility to a transport mode is also

important (Heinen et al., 2010). A commuter that does not have access to an e-bike,

cannot e-commute.

CHAPTER II

METHODOLOGY

2.1 Research Design

A phenomenological technique was used in this qualitative investigation. Its goal was

to see how effective carburetors are compared to fuel injection. A qualitative study is

a type of research that relies on open-ended and conversational communication to

collect data. Furthermore, qualitative research allows the researcher to interact with

their participants and see the world through their eyes. This strategy was deemed to be

the most appropriate for providing a full examination of car-owner experiences by the

researcher.

2.2 Population and Locale of the Study

The solar bike was tested by a group of 79 personnel, with 37 from the Abra State

Institute of Sciences and Technologies and 42 from the Abra Electric Cooperative.

The participants' ages range from 20 to 72, with an average of 44.5. Males make up

61 percent of the population, while females make up 39 percent. The participants'

commuting distance ranges from 1 to 56 kilometers, with a mean distance of 10.32

kilometers. The pre- and post-test surveys were completed by all 79 individuals. The
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ratings were based on data collected by a solar bike from 59 participants. As a result,

the assessment group sizes vary throughout the thesis.

2.3 Data Gathering Instrument and Procedure

The survey data is compared to the OViN data (CBS, 2014,2015, 2016) in Table 3 to

see whether participant’s population is like the respondent’s population of OViN. The

descriptive statistics of the survey variables can be found in Appendix 1.3. The OViN

data of e-commuters is used for the comparison. The mean age, gender, and

commuting distance of the two data sources all differ significantly (see Appendix 1.4)

for independent sample test results). Gross income of the data sources has different

categories. Therefore, it is not possible to compare this variable statistically. When

looking at the mean income ranges, it indicates that the OViN respondents have a

slightly higher income than the solar bike users. It may be concluded that the

participant’s population does not equals the OViN population.

2.5 Statistical Treatment

Every year, CBS conducts a countrywide poll to collect information about Filipino

mobility. Respondents provide information on their daily travel habits as well as

personal attributes. The data from 2013 (CBS, 2014), 2014 (CBS, 2015), and 2015

(CBS, 2016) has been evaluated to see if there are any differences between

ecommuters (those who ride electric bicycles) and regular commuters (who use non-
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electric bicycles). To limit the amount of data input for the studies, the OViN data is

filtered by trip purpose (work-related) and travel method (bicycle).

Table 2 shows some of the differences between the two groups. Between 2018 and

2020, 14 380 commuting trips will be done by bicycle, with 1 092 journeys done on

an electric bicycle and 13 288 trips done on a non-electric bicycle. 38.0 percent of e-

commuters are men, while 62.0 percent are women. Regular commuters account for

50.0 percent of both male and female commuters.

There is a distinction between ecommuters and ordinary commuters when it comes to

distance traveled. Figure 2 shows that the majority of frequent commuters go between

1.0 and 2.5 kilometers. This distance category is also the largest for e-commuters,

however the percentage of e-commuters who travel more than 5.0 km every trip is
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higher than traditional commuters. The average commute distance for e-commuters is

6.0 kilometers, while the average commute distance for ordinary commuters is only

4.1 kilometers (see Table 2). This is in line with CBS (2016), who claims that electric

bicycle trips are 1.5 times longer in terms of distance than ordinary bicycle

excursions.