The “Maui Digital Bus” is a mobile science and technology lab supporting K-12 schools and community organizations throughout Maui Nui. As a part of the Hawaii Source Education Outreach program, this mobile learning platform offers field-based, engaging science projects at outdoor locations and at school sites. The science-based bus already had a solar photovoltaic off-grid system that allowed laptop computer use. Wanting to include wind energy, the Digital Bus staff approached us to purchase a mobile wind turbine tower for the Bus. Unfortunately the manufacturer no longer carried a suitable tower. So, Blue Pacific Energy did some research and found some telescoping towers often used by the military. Those towers were very expensive and not an option for an education budget, so we collaborated with a fabrication partner and designed and built our own telescoping tower.
Now when the Digital Bus pulls up to a school or beach near you, the wind turbine is cranked up and starts turning wind into electricity. More importantly, our children learn that clean energy is an option for their precious future. Many thanks to the Digital Bus staff for including us in that most important renewable energy lesson.