New Solar Tricycles Have Been Created By One Of Ghana's Universities -

The Engineering Design and Innovation Center (EDIC) of the Cape Coast Technical University with support from the Energy Commission has unveiled sun oriented tricycles locally called ‘pragya’ in Ghana.

The noiseless solar tricycles which are presently out for use across the college’s campus use sun powered chargers instead of the traditional fuel. To additionally make the tricycles more secure, the middle has fixed safety belts on the tricycles.

The utilization of the tricycles has become a basic part of the transportation system in Ghana especially, Cape Coast, with many people in the city opting for that method of transport consistently.

However, as a growing cheaper means of transportation, patronage and use of the tricycles has has received a few extreme and horrible reactions from a few quarters about the reckless riding of the tricycles, particularly by underage riders. This has increased accidents including the tricycles.

Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly has thusly been compelled to ban every underage rider, restricting tricycle heading to people 25 years or more.

One more issue with the tricycles was the fact that they were risky and users were concerned of the dangers, particularly when these tricycles are without seat straps.

Again, as the number of the tricycles was increasing, clearly emissions were increasing, demolishing the spotless demeanor of the tourism city of Cape Coast.

Meanwhile, the university’s EDIC with support from the Energy Commission is also working on an Ecobus project that would help them build an eco-friendly solar bus to be unveiled next year. The Ecobus would also serve as an electricity-generating system when lights go out.

This development was in line with the university’s vision to be a leading innovative and entrepreneurial university recognised globally for its high-quality education research innovation and a reputation in green and clean energy technology.

The EDIC, under the Mechanical Engineering Department of the university, was set up to create, utilise and transform innovative ideas into usable products, with a focus on the application of renewable energy with high business advantage.

A study conducted by EDIC further indicated that 90 per cent of vehicle users were ready to use solar tricycles. The technology would hopefully be used to develop electric scooters to totally adopt an eco-friendly transportation system to be used by students on the CCTU campus and extended to the metropolis.

According to the Vice-Chancellor of Cape Coast Technical University, Prof. Joshua Owusu-Sekyere, the university would continue to seek ways of optimising renewable energy innovations, particularly the automobile sector, in its quest to maintain its acclaim as the nation’s clean automobile hub.

He indicated that the university had the human and technological manpower to support the One-District, One Factory project in the region particularly emphasising on renewable energy and called for investments from industry and collaborations.

The Central Region Minister, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, said the initiatives were in line with the Regional Coordinating Council’s commitment towards achieving the region’s transformation agenda and pledged its commitment towards them.