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Letting the sun do it...

Written by Tina Emmick
Wednesday, 04 March 2009
Harrison High School seniors in Steve Brickner’s advanced placement physics class check out six photovoltaic solar panels installed on the school’s roof. The panels usually create enough electricity to power their classroom. From left: Shannon Heaton, Emily Pointer and Nicole Caldwell. Photo by Tina Emmick/Harrison Press A Harrison High School classroom is completely powered by the sun and ..... A Harrison High School classroom is completely powered by the sun and at times there will be left-over electricity to contribute to the community. Harrison High School received a $20,000 grant from Duke Energy to install a solar energy collection system consisting of six solar panels, weather monitoring system, electric meter to measure generated electricity, DC converter and a computer to display energy savings and weather conditions. Harrison science teacher Steve Brickner applied for the grant. The panels are mounted on the roof above Brickner’s classroom and connected to equipment in the room’s closet. The panels convert sunshine into a maximum of 2,000 watts of electricity. About 800 watts is needed to power the lights and computers in the classroom. Any electricity generated beyond that is directed back into Duke Energy’s grid for public use, said Brickner. “Someone on West Road could use that to power their lights,” said Brickner. The panels consist of glass-covered solar cells. When photons from the sun collide with electrons in a special material inside the panel, the electrons become agitated and electricity is generated, said Brickner. Electricity generated by the panels is converted to an alternating current (AC) for use by lights and equipment, he said. The cumulative wattage generated by the panels is displayed on a meter. Since the panels were installed during the 2008 Thanksgiving break, they have generated 312 kilowatt hours of electricity. The classroom’s electrical circuit was modified so that the panels are the primary source of electricity. If the panels do not produce enough electricity to power the classroom, electricity from Duke Energy is used. Even though motorized mounts are available to allow panels to rotate in order to receive optimal sun exposure, the panels on the high school roof are in a fixed position. Overcast skies and the angle of the sun have prevented the panels from working at their maximum potential, said Brickner. A sensor located near the panels measures the amount of sun that shines on the panels. The panels convert just 15 percent of the sun’s rays into electricity. Brickner says that low efficiency is typical of all solar panels. Students said they were surprised at how inefficient the panels are but agree that some energy savings are better than none. “I would think they would be more efficient,” said Shannon Heaton. “On a sunny day you get a lot more but at least you always get something.” Heaton is one of the seniors in Brickner’s advanced placement physics class. Members of the class belong to the Ohio Energy Project (OEP), a nonprofit group dedicated to learning about and discovering alternative energy sources. The students recently attended an OEP event at Union Terminal in Cincinnati where they demonstrated various examples of alternative energy sources including solar energy, said Brickner Brickner said he believes the students’ involvement with the OEP helped the school get the necessary grant from Duke Energy. Brickner applied for the grant in late 2007 and assumed the school had been turned down when time passed and he didn’t receive notification. He was surprised to learn last August that the school was one of three in Ohio that received the grant, said Brickner. “We’ve been having a ‘solar-bration’ ever since,” he said. A computer in the classroom uses equipment on the roof to monitor daily weather conditions. Outside temperature, wind speed and the temperature inside the panels are monitored. The panels work better when temperatures are cooler because heat creates resistance in wires that transfer electricity, said Brickner. The computer also compares the energy produced by the panels to the number of gallons of gas or barrels of oil needed to generate a comparable amount of energy. Students can track how many acres of forest are saved, how many cars can be replaced and how much exhaust emissions can be avoided by electricity generated by the panels. Senior Emily Pointer plans to become a civil and environmental engineer and said learning about the panels has inspired her to find “greener” ways to live. Senior Kevin Geisler said he would like to build a house that isn’t dependent on outside power sources. “Imagine how much energy you would be saving just by doing your part,” he said. The students were surprised that there is no change in the quality of light from solar-powered light bulbs, said Brickner. “I thought it would be dimmer than it was - I was surprised that there was no change,” said Heaton. Brickner said that even when the sky is overcast, the panels provide enough energy to power all the lights in the classroom. “That’s what is amazing to me,” he said. “Even on a cloudy day, we’re still generating electricity.”
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 11 March 2009 )