Capturing the Sun
Solar Power & Photovoltaic Cells
How a solar system works!
The photovoltaic (PV) panel included in the Horizon Renewable Energy kit uses a flat plate system, one of two major types of PV systems available in the marketplace today. Individual PV cells are made up of various layers of semiconductor materials, similar to those used in computer chips, stacked together. Photovoltaically active semiconductors are sensitive to sunlight— sunlight knocks electrons from the atoms and creates an electric current.
The direction in which the solar panels are facing, the time of day, the time of year, the tilt of the solar panels, and the surface area of the solar panels are all variables that affect the amount of light that is absorbed, and therefore the voltage that can be produced. Some of the energy emitted from the sun is filtered by Earth’s atmosphere; however, the photons of energy that arrive at the Earth’s surface include ultraviolet energy, visible light, and heat in the form of infrared energy. Since the amount of light that strikes the surface of a solar panel affects the amount of voltage that can be produced, it follows that shade will affect the efficiency of the PV system. |
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Level 14-Guiding Question- What factors affect solar panel voltage output?
Watch and listen for the answers to the question below.
Media Guide: After watching and reading the above video please complete the google form.
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Level 14- Investigation-How shade affects voltage output of PV (Photovoltaic) cells
Follow the instructions below for the "Effect of Temperature on Solar Panels" Lab
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Data Collection & Analysis
Class Data
Follow the instructions below for the "Effect of Shade on Solar Panels" Lab
Click on the above images to enlarge
Data Collection & Analysis
Class Data
Follow the instructions below for the "The Effect of Tilt Angle on Solar Panels" Lab
Click on the above images to enlarge
Data Collection & Analysis
Class Data
Level 14-Video What are PV cells and how do they work?
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Level 3-Elaborate Make a Puppet Pals or iMovie Trailer or Educreation or your our video explaining how PV cells work (2 minutes or less)!
Level 14-Review Click on the button to review this unit on solar energy.
Level 14-Summary Solar Panels to take the unit test please make the following blog post you will have to make one post and three comments on your classmates posts. When posting comments please keep them on topic (i.e. solar energy).
What factors affect voltage output on Photovoltaic cells and why is it important to know them when installing panels on homes? |
Assignments for this Unit
Guided Question: Media Guide entitled, "Solar Basics" (Read the online textbook chapter or watch the Video entitled, " Solar Power Basics)
Investigation: Labs entitled, "The Effect of Heat on Solar Panels, The Effect of Shade on Solar Panels and the The Effect of Tilt Angle on Solar panels" (do two of the three)
Elaborate or Summary: Multimedia Project or Blog, Chose to do the Blog "What factors affect Voltage output on PV cells and why is it important to know them when installing panels on homes?" or Make a Puppet Pals or iMovie Trailer or Educreation or your our video explaining how PV cells work (2 minutes or less)!
Investigation: Labs entitled, "The Effect of Heat on Solar Panels, The Effect of Shade on Solar Panels and the The Effect of Tilt Angle on Solar panels" (do two of the three)
Elaborate or Summary: Multimedia Project or Blog, Chose to do the Blog "What factors affect Voltage output on PV cells and why is it important to know them when installing panels on homes?" or Make a Puppet Pals or iMovie Trailer or Educreation or your our video explaining how PV cells work (2 minutes or less)!