Objectives
In an era of global warming and increased fuel costs it is time to look at all aspects of petroleum usage. Previously incidental uses of gasoline like lawn care have become more significant in the total pollution equation as other sources such as automobiles and power plants have been improved.
Some older lawn mowers are bigger polluters than the family car," said James M. Lents, executive officer of Air Quality Management District in Orange County California. A dirty mower operated for 20 hours a year produces the same amount of smog-forming volatile organic compound pollution as a 1996 passenger car driven for 26,000 miles -- more than most people drive in a year, Lents said. (http://www.aqmd.gov/news/scrap1.html)
This project focuses on the development of an existing non-point source polluting lawn mower (battery power) for use on a typical Maine lawn. The focus of this project is the development of models and then designing a new power system that will allow this mower to be used for lawn care in Maine. Current battery power mowers are meant for small lawns and do not have sufficient battery power to cut a lawn of more than about 1/4 acre. All options can be explored such as hybrid, fuel cell and replaceable battery mowers. Cost and weight are obvious factors although the test lawn is relatively flat. Tow nearly identical battery powered mowers will be available for reference and as test beds.