Olivia Park Elementary School

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Solar Power

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  1. Flywheel Energy Storage
  2. Hydroelectric and Wave Power
  3. Wind Power
Lesson Plans
  1. Solar Power
      Provides exercises to help understand the power of the sun.
Lists
  1. Flywheel Energy Storage
  2. Solar Cooking Resources (SolarCooking.org)
      Provides sources of information on solar cooking.
  3. Solar Energy Articles (Solar Today)
      Provides abstracts of articles from Solar Today. 2-01
  4. Solar Photovoltaic Retail Businesses by Location (Momentum Technologies - Source Guide)
      Provides a listing of retail businesses selling photovoltaic modules, by location. 5-01
News
  1. Solar Cells Improve Efficiency (CNN)
      Provides an article about greatly improved photovoltaic cells that convert energy from the sun into electricity. The cells use concentrators for greater efficiency. 10-00
  2. Solar Cells Improve Efficiency Through CIS (CNN - Environmental News Network)
      Provides an article about greatly improved photovoltaic cells that convert energy from the sun into electricity. The cells use CIS (copper indium diselenide) technology. 10-00
  3. Solar Energy News (Solar Energy Industries Association)
      Provides news on solar energy initiatives and successes. 10-00
  4. Solar Photovoltaic News (National Center for Photovoltaics)
      Provides information on projects using photovoltaics (PV). 5-01
Papers
  1. Autos - Solar Cells (Uni-Solar)
      Provides photovoltaic thin film for application to car roofs, trunks, hoods, etc. Pricing is under 400 dollars for 32 watt (1.94 amps and 16.5 volts) flexible panels. A panel weighs about 4.7 pounds and is .25 inches thick. Awesome Library does not endorse this product, but only provides it as an example. 6-01
  2. Autos - Solar Cells (Uni-Solar)
      Provides characteristics, including weight, of Uni-Solar photovoltaic thin film for application to car roofs, trunks, hoods, etc. Awesome Library does not endorse this product, but only provides it as an example. 6-01
  3. Autos - Solar Cells (Uni-Solar)
      Provides photovoltaic thin film for application to car roofs, trunks, hoods, etc. Pricing is under 400 dollars for 32 watt (1.94 amps and 16.5 volts) flexible panels. A panel weighs about 4.7 pounds and is .25 inches thick. Awesome Library does not endorse this product, but only provides it as an example. 6-01
  4. Batteries - Gel Batteries (AWSolar)
      Provides characteristics of different gel batteries, designed to never need topping up and claims are made of no gassing. Awesome Library does not endorse this product, but only provides it as an example. 6-01
  5. Bicycles (Awesome Library)
      Summarizes strengths and weaknesses of bicycles and makes some recommendations. 6-01
  6. Green Cities (MotherJones.com)
      Describes efforts cities are making to use less polluting sources of energy. 9-01
  7. Model Solar Car Challenge (ModelSolarCar.org)
      Describes a challenge for young students to design a sloar powered model car. 8-01
  8. Recumbent Tricycle - Solar Powered (Greenspeed.com)
      Describes the product with a variety of versions, including fully enclosed (fairings), tandem, compact, quad-powered, hand-powered, and solar powered. Awesome Library does not endorse this product, but only provides it as an example. Sometimes called three-wheel bicycles. 6-01
  9. Renewal Energy (Arizona Solar Center)
      Provides an overview of sources of renewable energy. 1-99
  10. Roofing - Solar Roofing and Laminates (Uni-Solar)
      Describes solar laminated panels that can be applied to roofs or other surfaces. 6-01
  11. Solar Cells Reach 30 Percent Efficiency (JX Crystals)
      Reports on solar cells that use a combination of infrared and light sensitive cells to produce a combined efficiency of 31 percent. 9-01
  12. Solar Cooking Facts (SolarCooking.org)
      Provides basic facts for efficient solar cooking and boiling water. (Water can also be made safe by heating it to only 150 degrees for 20 minutes, pasteurizing it rather than boiling it.)
  13. Solar Heater - Invention and Design (Cross Talk)
      Provides a case study in the invention and marketing of a product.
  14. Solar Maps of the USA (Bergey.com)
      Provides solar maps of the USA. 6-01
  15. Solar Panel Prices (AWSolar)
      Provides a variety of solar (photovoltaic) panels. The Uni-Solar 32 watt flexible panel is under 600 dollars. The Uni-Solar 64 watt rigid panel is also under 600 dollars. Awesome Library does not endorse these products, but only provides them as examples. 6-01
  16. Solar Panel Prices (ETA Engineering)
      Provides the Kycero KC120 120 watt rigid panel for under 600 dollars. Awesome Library does not endorse these products, but only provides them as examples. 6-01
  17. Solar Panel Prices (ETA Engineering)
      Provides the Matrix 100 watt rigid panel for under 500 dollars. Awesome Library does not endorse these products, but only provides them as examples. 6-01
  18. Solar Panel Prices (GoingSolar.com)
      Provides a variety of solar (photovoltaic) panels. The most powerful is the BP Solar at 80 watts, 17 volts, and 4.96 amps for 910 dollars. The least expensive panel is the Uni-Solar at 5 watts, 16.5 volts, and .31 amps for 155 dollars. Awesome Library does not endorse these products, but only provides them as examples. 6-01
  19. Solar Panel Prices (Greenies)
      Provides a variety of solar (photovoltaic) panels. The Uni-Solar 32 watt flexible panel is under 400 dollars. Awesome Library does not endorse these products, but only provides them as examples. 6-01
  20. Solar Panel Prices (Mark Snyder Electric)
      Provides a variety of solar (photovoltaic) panels. The Uni-Solar 64 watt rigid panel is under 400 dollars. Photowatt rigid panes cost 500 dollars for 95 watts. Awesome Library does not endorse these products, but only provides them as examples. 6-01
  21. Solar Panel Prices (Myles Recreational Accessories)
      Provides the Uni-Solar 32 watt flexible panel, which is under 400 dollars. Recommends the use of a controller with the solar panels to protect the batteries from going over 14.3 volts during peak times. Awesome Library does not endorse these products, but only provides them as examples. 6-01
  22. Solar Panel Prices (SBT Solar)
      Includes a complete 50 watt system (SBT50) for a vehicle, such as an RV, for 600 dollars. Includes an inverter for AC electricity. Awesome Library does not endorse these products, but only provides them as examples. 6-01
  23. Solar Panel Prices (Tasman Energy)
      Provides a variety of solar (photovoltaic) panels. The Uni-Solar 32 watt flexible panel is under 400 dollars. Awesome Library does not endorse these products, but only provides them as examples. 6-01
  24. Solar Photovoltaic Components (El Paso Solar Energy Association)
      Explains how solar electricity works and also provides detailed descriptions of key parts of a solar electricity system. 5-01
  25. Solar Photovoltaic Components (Go Solar Company)
      Explains how solar electricity works and also provides detailed descriptions of all of the parts of a solar electricity system. Provides information to calculate solar electricity needs in order to build a successful solar photovoltaic projects. 5-01
  26. Solar Photovoltaic Energy (Australian Renewable Energy Website)
      Describes and provides diagrams of types of solar photovoltaic electric generators. 12-00
  27. Solar Photovoltaic Materials (National Center for Photovoltaics)
      Provides information on thin-film photovoltaics, one of the lastest designs. 5-01
  28. Solar Photovoltaic Panels (Solardyne)
      Provides solar and other alternate energy products. Awesome Library provides this as an example of the technology and has no knowledge of the product's quality or the company's reputation. 5-01
  29. Solar Photovoltaics - How They Work (National Center for Photovoltaics)
      Explains how solar photovoltaics generate electricity and includes printable quizzes. 5-01
  30. Solar Photovoltaics - School Projects (Schools Going Solar)
      Describes projects with schools going solar. 5-01
  31. Solar Photovoltaics - Types of Systems (AstroPower)
      Describes the basic components of photovoltaic systems. 5-01
  32. Solar Photovoltaics - Types of Systems (AstroPower)
      Describes the basic components of photovoltaic systems. 5-01
  33. Solar Photovoltaics With Hydrogen Fuel Cell (Schools Going Solar)
      Describes a student project designed to use solar panels as a source of electricty for electrolysis to create hydrogen fuel for a fuel cell. 5-01
  34. Solar Photovoltaics by Topic (National Center for Photovoltaics)
      Provides short articles on photovoltaic projects, news, materials, and more. 5-01
  35. Solar Power - A Short History (MotherJones.com)
      Provides an essay that describes efforts in the 1970's to move toward solar power. Argues that political forces have since forced it into a slow pace of growth compared to its potential. 9-01
  36. Solar Power - Cost Effectiveness (Community Office for Resource Efficiency - Udall)
      "If you value the future or the environment, PV [solar electric power] is cost effective. If you don't, it isn't. It's that simple." 5-01
  37. Solar Powered Homes (Reality Times - Amoruso)
      Provides information on projects using various forms of solar power, such as photovoltaics (PV). Also provides vendors of solar energy devices. 5-01
  38. Solar Roofs May Cut Bills in Half (CNN )
      Provides an article about roof tiles that may cut the electricity bills for a home in half, at least in California. The initial purchase of the roof tiles is also subsidized in California. 10-00
  39. Solar Sail Powered Space Ships 1 (NASA)
      Describes how solar sail powered spacecrafts might be best for long space missions. 11-00.
  40. Solar Thermal Energy (Australian Renewable Energy Website)
      Describes and provides diagrams of types of solar thermal electric generators. 12-00
  41. Solar Water Heating (Australian Renewable Energy Website)
      Describes and provides diagrams of types of solar water heating systems. 12-00
Projects
  1. Build a Solar Car (University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project)
      Provides choices for building a solar vehicle online. Allows you to see the effects of your choices in a virtual race. 6-01
  2. Solar Cooking Design for Villages (SolarCooking.org)
      Provides the design for a very effective solar oven, using foil, cardboard, and plastic.
  3. Solar Cooking Designs for Villages (SolarCooking.org)
      Provides a variety of designs for a very effective solar ovens, using primarily foil, cardboard, and plastic.
  4. Solar Oven Experiment (Ethan)
      Provides results of a student experiment on inexpensive (homemade) solar ovens. Found that adding a steel plate inside of a solar oven makes it hotter and also keeps it hotter longer. Also found that a shiny interior results in higher heat than a dark interior color. The oven used a cardboard box inside a cardboard box, covered with a plastic baking bag, to collect and store heat. Suggested improvements included adding another layer or two of cardboard boxes (for increased insulation), another layer of baking bag, and angling the interior surfaces to focus heat more directly on the food to be cooked. 6-01
Purchase Resources
  1. Recumbent Tricycle - SolarTrike for Solar Power (SolarTrike.com)
      Starts at 2,000 dollars and weighs 106 pounds with a 200 watt motor and a 50 watt solar panel. Does not use batteries. Awesome Library does not endorse this product, but only provides it as an example. 6-01
  2. Solar Photovoltaic Panels (Solar3000.com)
      Provides solar and other alternate energy products. A Chinese company. Awesome Library provides this as an example of the technology and has no knowledge of the product's quality or the company's reputation. 5-01
  3. Solar Photovoltaic Panels (SolarElectric)
      Provides solar and other alternate energy products. Includes a notebook computer solar charger. Awesome Library provides this as an example of the technology and has no knowledge of the product's quality or the company's reputation. 5-01