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Solar Business Plan 1

The document provides an overview of the Michigan Tech Solar Car Team business plan. It describes the team's mission to educate people about solar energy and compete in solar car races. The team aims to produce a solar car for the 2011 Shell Eco-Marathon competition. The business plan outlines the team's organization structure, management profiles, product description as a solar-powered racing car, and market analysis of competition from other college solar car teams.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
237 views9 pages

Solar Business Plan 1

The document provides an overview of the Michigan Tech Solar Car Team business plan. It describes the team's mission to educate people about solar energy and compete in solar car races. The team aims to produce a solar car for the 2011 Shell Eco-Marathon competition. The business plan outlines the team's organization structure, management profiles, product description as a solar-powered racing car, and market analysis of competition from other college solar car teams.

Uploaded by

shivanipoudwal
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SolarCarTeam

MichiganTechnologicalUniversity

BusinessPlan

CompanyDescription
MissionStatement TheMichiganTechSolarCarTeamsMissionisTouseinnovationinsolartransportation technologytoeducatepeopleregardingthefeasibilityandsustainabilityofsolarenergy generation. Vision Tobeacompetitivesolarcarteam BeahighlyeffectiveandefficientEnterpriseteam Bevocaladvocatesofrenewableenergytechnologywithemphasisonsolarenergy Providerealworld,handsonexperienceforstudents Establishaninfrastructuretoallowlongevitybeyondthefirstgenerationofcontributors Objectives ProduceaworkingsolarvehicleforcompetitionintheShellEcoMarathonbyAprilof2011 Increasevisibilityonandoffcampustoallowforeducationalopportunities Beinvolvedinsolarenergydialoguewithothersolarteamsandindustry KeystoSuccess Increaseteammembershipandskilldiversitywithagoalofaddingatleast6newteam membersbythespringof2010. Obtaindiversifiedsponsorshipbyworkingwiththeenterpriseprogramtohavepartialfunding of$10,000byMarchof2010. Acquirenecessaryskillsandexperiencewithmanufacturingprocessesinvolvedinthe productionofasolarcar History TheMichiganTechnologicalUniversitySolarCarTeamwasfoundedinJanuaryof2009asa projectwithintheAlternativeFuelsGroupEnterprisebroughtonbythedesireofstudent BrennanTymraktousesolarenergyfortransportationpurposes.Withanoriginalgoalof investigatingthefeasibilityofcreatingacompetitivesolarcarteamoncampus,teammembers researchedtheNorthAmericanSolarChallengeincludingtechnicalandlogisticalaspectsaswell ascosts.TheteamcametotheconclusionthatcompetitionintheNorthAmericanSolar Challengewasnotcurrentlyafeasibleoptionfortheteam.Inthefallof2009,theSolarCar teamlearnedoftheShellEcoMarathonasamuchmoreviableoptionfortheteamscurrent financialandtechnicalsituation.Withagoalofcompetinginthe2011EcoMarathon,theteam iscurrentlyresearchingthecompetition,designingvehicleconcepts,andworkingtoincrease teammembership.

OrganizationandManagement
Organization TheMichiganTechSolarCarTeamhasbaseditsorganizationuponthestandardMichiganTech enterpriseorganizationalmodel.TheteamoperatesasanentityoftheAlternativeFuelsGroup Enterprise,buthasitsownmanagement.Ourorganizationalmodelconsistsof:

Enterprise Advisor

Mechanical SubTeamLeader
TeamMember TeamMember TeamMember

Electrical SubTeamLeader TeamMember TeamMember TeamMember

Project Leader

Business SubTeamLeader
TeamMember TeamMember

ProjectLeaderTheprojectleaderisthesinglepersonwholeadstheteamandcoordinates operations.Theymanagetheteamasawholeandareresponsibleforinformingtheenterprise advisorabouttheprogressofthegroup.Theymustensurethatallsubteamsarestayingon trackandthattheprojectiskeepingtothescheduletomakesuretheteammeetsthedeadline. Communication,organization,leadership,anddedicationexemplifythenecessarytraitsfrom theprojectleader.Theprojectleaderisalsoamemberofasubteamandperformsthevarious technicaltasksassociatedwiththesubteam. SubTeamLeadersThesubteamleadersforthethreedifferentsubteams,mechanical, electricalandbusiness,areresponsiblefortheirprogressoftheirrespectivesubteams.They managetheirsubteammembers,aswellasworkonthesubteamsprojectswiththeteam members.Theymustcoordinatewithothersubteamleaderstomakesurethatdesignsare compatibleacrossthedifferentaspectsofthesolarcar.Theyarealsoresponsibleformaking suretheirteamhasthenecessaryresourcesneededtocompletetheirtasks.Subteamleaders

reporttotheprojectleaderabouttheirprogressandwithanyneedsorconcernstheymay have. TeamMembersAllreturningteammemberswillcontinuecompletingtheirtasksasdefinedby theirsubteamleaders.However,newteammemberswillberesponsibleforupdatingthe MichiganTechSolarTeamsbusinessplanalongwiththeirotherresponsibilities.Byupdating thebusinessplaneachsemesterthisensuresthattheplanisuptodateandreflectsthecurrent goalsandstrategiesoftheteam.Italsoallowsforthenewmemberstobecomeacquainted withthehistoryandphilosophybehindtheMichiganTechSolarCarteam.Thisprocesswill requirethenewmemberstobecomeacquaintedwithallofthedifferentaspectsofteam managementandoperationbyinterviewingtheteamleadersandprojectleaderaboutthe goalsforthenextsemester.Thehopeisthatwiththisprojectthenewmemberswillfeelthat theyhavesomestakeinthesuccessoftheteamanditwillgivethemtherequiredbackground tooperatesuccessfullywithintheteam.

ManagementProfiles WhiletheSolarCarteamisanewproject,themanagementteamishighlymotivatedtomake theprojectasuccess.Duetotheircurrenteducationalstatus,theyhavetheknowledgeand skillsnecessarytopropeltheprojecttoasolidstartwhileobtainingthespecifictechnicalskills neededtocontinuetheprojectsprogress.Themanagementalsohastheinterpersonalskills requiredtobringnewteammembersuptospeedontheprojectaswellassharetheirskills. BrennanTymrakProjectLeader Major:MechanicalEngineering Minor:ElectricalEngineering Year:3rd BrennanstartedtheSolarCarteamthroughadesiretohaveasolarpowerprojectoncampus. HispersonalinterestinrenewableenergyhasmadehimentirelycommittedtotheSolarCar Teamanddedicatedtoitssuccess.Throughpastleadershipofengineeringteams,hehas developedtheskillsnecessarytoleadtheteamtoachieveitsgoals. DanSallenMechanicalSubTeamLeader Major:MechanicalEngineering Year:3rd DanjoinedtheSolarCarteamoutofaninterestinrenewableenergyandthewanttoapplythe skillsandknowledgeobtaininclassestorealworldproblems.Hehasdisplayedhardworkethic bypickinguptheslackonpreviousengineeringteamstoensurethattheprojectswere completedtothenecessaryqualitystandards.Hisexperiencethroughworkinthebusiness industrybringsanimportantskillsettotheteam.

BenMarkelTeamMember Major:ChemicalEngineering Year:1st Benhasjoinedtheteamasafreshmanandisexcitedaboutbeingontheteam.Hiswillingness toassistwithallaspectsoftheprojecthasbeenanimportantassettotheteamduetoitssmall numberofmembers.AsBenfurthershisknowledgebasethroughclassesandexperienceon theteamhewillplayaneverincreasinglyimportantrole.


DescriptionofProduct

TheMichiganTechnologicalUniversitySolarCarTeamisworkingtodevelopacompetitivesolar carforracingintheShellEcoMarathonyearly.Thesolarcarisnotsimplyaproductionvehicle withsomesortofsolarelectricassist.Itisahighlystreamlinedandefficientmachinethatis drivenentirelythroughelectricwheelmountedmotorsandchargedonlybysolarcellsaffixed totheshellofthevehicle.Careistakenduringthedesignandmanufacturingprocesstoensure thatthevehicleisaslightinweightaspossibleandthatrollingresistanceisminimized.Whenin operation,thevehicleisassistedbycomplexmathmodelstoensurethemostefficientuseof thepowergenerated.ToachieveallofthistheTeamisacquiringandwillutilizeexpertise withintheareasofsolarcelltechnologyandvehicledynamicstodelivertheoptimalvehiclefor participationwithintheEcoMarathon. Ourcurrentdevelopmentstageisthatofformation,continuedresearchandpreliminary modeling.Previouslywecompletedaninvestigationintowhatittakestocompeteinsolar racingandwhattypesofraceswereoutthere.Weestablishedaroughestimateforourbudget andpresentedittoouradvisortoestablishthefeasibilityofcreatingasolarcarteamat MichiganTech.Weweregivenapprovaltoproceedwiththeprojectandhavenowcompleteda preliminarymathmodelforpowergenerationandvehicledynamicsalongwiththeoutershell andsolarcellplacementmodelinUniGraphicsNX5.

MarketAnalysis

TheSolarCarteamscompetitionfallsintotwocategories:technicalcompetitionattheevent andmonetarycompetition. Ourcompetitionintheraceisprimarilyothercollegelevelengineeringteams.Thisisduetothe highleveloftechnicalexpertiseandmonetaryinvestmentrequiredtobecompetitive.These factorslimittheinclusionofhighschoollevelteams,althoughafewteamsdoexist.Atthe sametimethespeed,weight,andpracticallimitationsimposedbytheraceguidelinesdonot makethisraceattractiveforlarger,professionallevelsolarteams.Thislimitsourfieldof competitiontogroupswiththesamelevelofexperienceandaccesstocapitalasourselves. Lastyeartherewerethreeteamscompetinginourbracketwithintherace.

MonetarycompetitioncomesfromothersolarteamsintheEcoMarathon,solarteamsinother competitions,andotherenterpriseteamsatMichiganTech.Duetothelargercostsassociated withsolarracingwhencomparedtoothercollegelevelprojects,solarteamsrequireeither greatersponsorinvestments,oralargerpoolofsponsors.Thisneediscompoundedasmore solarteamsreachouttothesamesponsors.TheMichiganTechSolarCarteamwouldbethe fourthteamtoentertheEcoMarathonsolardivision.Whilethisisasmallnumber,itdoesnot representthetotalnumberofcompetitivesolarcarteamsintheUnitedStates.Approximately 20otherteamscompeteintheNorthAmericanSolarChallenge(NASC),amuchlargerand moreexpensivecompetitionrequiringevenmoresponsorshipcommitment.Wehavechosen tocompeteinthelessexpensiveEcoMarathontoallowforlessfinancialcommitmentfromour sponsorswhilestillproducingaqualityvehicle.Thisallowsustobeflexiblebynotbeas committedtoacostlydesignaswellasrequiringustousefundsinthemostefficientway possible. Otherenterpriseteamsoncampusconstituteamajorportionofourcompetitioninboth moneyandhumanresources.Currentlythereare32enterpriseteamsatMichiganTechwith fourteamsparticipatinginvehicledesigncompetitionsandatleastfiveteamswithprojects involvingrenewableenergyandfuelefficiencyotherthantheAlternativeFuelsGroup Enterprise.TheSolarCarteamiscurrentlytheonlysolarbasedvehicleprojectoncampus.This meansweareuniqueindirectlyusingalternativeenergyfromthespecificpurposeofpowering acar.Whileotherenterpriseteamshavebeenestablishedforanumberofyearsandsecureda sponsorbase,theSolarCarteamisnewandhasnobasetodrawfrom.Whilethiscreatesa challenge,italsoisanopportunitytoopenupnewcommunicationchannelswithbusinesses thathavenotbeensponsorsofanyMichiganTechprojectbeforeandallowsustocreateanew linkwithdifferentareasofindustry.

MarketingStrategy

Ourprimarymarketinggoalistoraisefundsorobtainmaterialdonationsthatcangotowards theconstructionofoursolarcarandultimatelytheparticipationofourteamintheShellEco Marathon.WewilldothisbyworkingwiththeMichiganTechEnterpriseprogramtosolicit companiesinthelargerengineeringandmanufacturingcommunitywhomaybeinterestedin ourproject.Fortheirdonationswearepreparedtoofferoursponsorsmanyadvertising opportunitieswithourteam.Theseopportunitiesincludedecalsonthesideoftheactualsolar car,logoplacementonourteamwebsite,logoplacementonanyposterswepresenttothe community,recognitioninanyliteraturewemayputoutregardingsolarracingandcardesign, companynameonteamshirtsforinshoporatcompetition,logosalongsiderecruitmentslides tobeshownbeforeweeklyTechmovies,signageatrecruitmentdrives,andfinallylogo placementonourproofofconceptR/Csolarracer.AlsotheTeamisopentoanyrequestbythe sponsorforanyadvertisingtheymaywanttoutilizeregardingthesolarcarandtheTeam.

Anotherkeyaspecttoourmarketingstrategyisinhowwewillgoaboutmeetingour recruitmentgoals.Thisisagreatopportunityforearlysponsorstogettheirnamesinfrontof futureengineers.Weplantorecruitheavilyoverthenextyear.Ourinitialgoalistoexpandour grouptoatleasteightindividualswithvariedskillsetsbythenextsemester.Weplantodothis bycreatingthesignageforourlargerAlternativeFuelsGrouprecruitmentdrivesowecanmake surethatourprojectisveryvisible.Atthesametimeweareplanningtoputoutdirected recruitmentposterstoeachofourtargetaudiences,mechanicalengineers,electricalengineers, andbusinessmajors.Eachposterwithbedesignedtoemphasizetheaspectsoftheprojectthat eachmajorwouldbeinvolvedinandtheirimportancetotheTeam.Theposterswillthenbe placedaroundtheareaswherethemajorityoftheclassesforeachtargetedmajorarelocated. Thiswillhopefullycatchtheinterestofthetypesofmajorswearelookingforandgetthemto cometotheAFGrecruitmentmeetingwherewewillpitchourprojecttothem.Alsobytheend oftheschoolyearweareplanningtocompleteaproofofconceptR/Csolarcartogainsome experienceworkingwiththesolarcellsandatthesametimeusethatminiprojectasan advertisingtoolinourcontinuedrecruitmentefforts.Atthatpointourrecruitmentstrategy mightincludeusingourR/Csolarconcepttodrivearoundcampuswithsignageadvertisingour meetingtimeandplaceaswellasoursponsorinformation.Thiswillgeneratecuriosityabout ourenterpriseaswellasprovidinginformationaboutusandthepotentialforearlyand continuedsponsorshipadvertising. Oncewehaveattainedourdesiredhumanresourcelevelswewillfullyinstituteourpersonnel managementplanasdescribedinthemanagementsection.Thiswillallowforadefined structureandassignrolesthatfacilitatetheaccomplishmentofourgoals.

SummaryofStartupCosts
System
Chassis

Component
4130ChromolySteel ShocksFoxShoxDHX5.0 MichelinTiresfromShell Brakes

Quantity
3 6 2 300 300 4 12 1 1

Price
$1,800 $1,200 $270 $240


SolarArray

SolarCells SolarCellEncapsulation MPPT

$6,750 $8,250 $4,000


BatteryPack

BatteriesKokamSLPB

Motor

MotorNGMInHubMotor MotorControllerTritiumMotor Controller


Body

$3,000 $1,000 $5,380

Kevlar,CarbonFiber,Nomex Honeycomb


$6,000

Logistics

RegistrationFee TravelVehicles,Gas,Lodging TravelAllowance(over2001miles) TeamTShirts

10

$0 $7,090 ($1,500) $120

Workspace Miscellaneous ElectronicComponentsBattery protection,telemetry,custom circuits,etc. VariousRequiredComponentsSeat Belt,Horn,Steeringwheel,etc. Tools Startertoolsw/rollingbox Lockingtoolcabinet SpecializedTools Total

$2000 $3,000

$500

$400 $600 $1,500 $51,600

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