Rock Valley College Seminar Focuses on Energy Solutions

Rockford, Illinois- Science is solving real world problems at Rock Valley College. Peter Frisk, a mathematics professor at Rock Valley College, says, "Well, it`s an exciting project, because it kind of looks like a little toy, but the core of this (car) is a little fuel cell and the voltaic cells are probably going to be the heart of some kind of an answer to the energy crisis that we`re in these days." Area high school math and science teachers assembled fuel cell cars that run solely on water and solar power at a seminar hosted by Rock Valley College. The cars appear to be no more than one foot long and six inches wide. While the science is complex, the design behind the fuel cell cars is simple. Frisk added, "Ultimately it`s run on sunlight, but the hydrogen works sort of as a carrier of that energy much as electricity is carried through wires. It also is a place where energy can be stored, and so energy stored under high pressure perhaps liquified becomes a type of gasoline of the future." And the teachers plan to bring their cars and what they learned back to their own classrooms. "It`s a fun project," said Teri Cox, a physics teacher at Durand High School. "I try to bring things that the kids first look at as a fun thing to do, but the physics behind it, the chemistry behind it is just so important and so topical right now." Professors say we could see this type of technology show up in automobiles as early as 2010.