solar power

Fourteen local high school students spent a week in August learning about renewable energy from electrical engineering professor Liling Huang and a host of local energy engineering professionals. At the end of the week, the students presented their work, a model town powered entirely by clean energy.  

Since Michael Riggi was about six years old, his father and brother would take him to a “Cars and Coffee” show in Great Falls, Virginia, on weekends. Being around classic automobiles and luxury vehicles, Riggi said he developed an appreciation for cars, and other machines that go fast, including planes, boats, and rockets.

Now, as a junior at George Mason University, his career path has also been racing forward.

Most people with access to a 3D printer find themselves creating small objects or gadgets. But one student group working at the MIX at George Mason University each Friday is driven by a different dream.

“We build, design, test and plan to compete in solar-powered car competitions,” said Michael Riggi, president of Mason’s solar car team, HyperNova Solar. “[We believe] our car, when complete, will be the world’s first and only 3D-printed solar car.”