Week6 report

I spend my 6th week in the Capital of Germany: Berlin! (from Tue to Sat) There is an electrical fair held here. (“Eco move” is the theme for this fair.) As you can tell from the name, this fair is more on green technology. (Promote people to live in a greener way.) Many latest green technologies are shown here. For our solar car team, this is a good chance to show to the public about our project. Moreover, we can attract companies’ interest, and try to get sponsorship from them. (We have some companies that want to sponsor us with some component for our new car. Like GPS system, Digital multi meter.) Now then, I know that, our project that cost about 1 million euro. However, almost all the cost is sponsor by outside companies. And a lot of the component we get them from sponsor companies for free. I million is just the sum amount which they added all the stuff together. (So actually, our school doesn’t pay 1millon for the project but knowledge.)

This is photo for fuel cell motorbike and car. The big box behind is fuel cell reactor which act like a power source. It converts chemical energy into electricity to drive the motor. And I asked them, why not use hydrogen gas as the source? They said because hydrogen is expensive to make and the technology is too complicated. (Storage of hydrogen) However, for their system, all you need to do is to top up the bottle with methanol.

This is a solar station, which can use to charge the battery from electric-car. It will be located at the roadside or car park to replace fuel station. The person there told me, it can be stand-alone or grid-tie system. Now it takes quite some time to fully charge up a battery. But it has big potential as the demand for electric-car is getting larger, and the technology is being improved every day.

This is a company, which installs solar panel for their costumer. From them, I knew that in Germany, if you install a grid tie system and sell the electricity back to the grid. You can earn money out of it. The ratio is about 1:4. Because of the ratio is so big. That is why more and more people chose to install their solar system. The photo at the right hand site is a commercial thin film solar cell, which has 11% in efficiency. And it costs 90% the price compare to traditional crystalline solar cell.

This is kind of “human powered ” car. The concept is simply. It can either driven by human power (bicycle mode, at the same time charge the on board battery) or by motor which get electricity from battery. It is computer controlled. Easy to use, and environmental friendly.

During my free time, I make a trip around Berlin on my own.( I have planned my trip few days before using computer. All places of interest also marked on the map.)

This is Brandenburg Gate, one of the symbols of Berlin and Germany. You can find it on the obverse of German euro coins. A lot of history happened here. Make it short and simply. It means the same as “Tian An Men”(天安门) for German.

This is the Reichstag building. It is the site of German parliament. During the cold war, it belongs to west Berlin. By the time I went in. many politicians were having meeting inside. Maybe they were discussing the solution for globe financial crisis recently. :)

This is Berliner Dom (an Evangelical Church in Berlin) it is the largest church I have seen so far. (Largest one in Berlin) And this is the second time I feel myself so close to the God. Haha…

There is a demonstration in Gendarmenmarkt square by the time I visited there. It is quite crowded over there. It made me curious. Therefore, I went and asked them for reason. A man told me. It is a demonstration by the cow farmers. They want the government to increase the price for milk.

This is Berlin wall, which separated Berlin for 28 years. Berlin becomes East Berlin and West Berlin. One friend of mine (He is from “East Germany”) He told me it is impossible for people to cross the wall. (In fact, more than 200 people were shoot for trying to cross the wall.) Finally, by 1990, the fall of Berlin wall make it possible to access to each sides. It was my first time feels so close to the history. (I was born in 1988. I am only 2 years old when the wall falls down.) In fact, we are making history every day…isn’t it?

Checkpoint Charlie, a symbol of the Cold War. It is a crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin. and the photo below is the famous sign at the former East-West Berlin border. Can you tell which side it is?

This is the traffic light in East Berlin. It is a little man with a hat. So if you see this. It means you are standing in East Berlin.

This is the first tank that entered Berlin by Soviet Union troop during the end of World War 2.

Avenue of June 17th (view from top of victory column)

This is the Olympic Stadium for Berlin Olympic game in 1936. (49 countries were competing.) But it become a stage for Hitler to show off to the world how efficient the Nazi Germany was. It was two years before the Nazi came to power.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is a memorial in Berlin to the jewish victims of the Holocaust.

My friends they all brought me to taste different food during our stay in Berlin. We went to a Chinese restaurant for Chinese food. (They want me to tell the difference.) Hah… I think the Chinese food here has been modified to suit the western tastes.

This is typical Berlin food and drink: currywrust(curry sausage) and Berliner Weisse (mixing of Berlin local wheat beer and woodruff or raspberry syrup).

I was busy with my schematic drawing last weekend. But I finally make it! Two A0 size schematic.
Hahahahah..... So next week I will be learning Solid works.

Chiong ah….(冲啊)…..haha…..