Alternate Energy: Solar





*SOLAR ENERGY :*			*Investigation on SOLAR ENERGY*

Background :
In 2007 The Solar Energy Project was made possible at Race Rocks by a grant from the
British Columbia Ministry of Mines and Energy .

This picture illustrates the integrated nature of our energy system at Race Rocks. The traditional diesel oil tanks are on the right and on the left, 6 of the 38 Photo voltaic Cells are installed on the south side of the Energy Building. This building houses the storage battery array, propane generators and the tidal energy instrumentation and transformers. Unseen in the photo is the fourth energy source for the Integrated Energy System, Tidal Energy Generator.

	*Resources on racerocks.com* for this Investigation Page
	FILE !: This file documents the stages of the Installation of the Photo voltaic panels on the Energy Building at Race Rocks.
	FILE 2: Real time measurement of the solar energy output with archived data on solar radiation at Race Rocks.
	File 3: Real time measurement of the temperature and archived data on air temperature at Race Rocks.
	FILE 4: The Abiotic or Physical Effects of solar radiation on the organisms of Race Rocks.

FILE 5: CORRELATIONS FILE. This file is set up with regular additions that have been selected to show seasonal patterns and to allow some study of the relationships between the three factors of solar radiation, uv radiation and temperature

	FILE 6: From the GOES Satellite we can see the limit of the sunlight in Canada at various times of the year.
	FILE 7: Photo voltaic Cell energy Generation for Race Rocks: The Xantrex Hybrid Power Monitoring System is designed to provide current and past records of the level of photo voltaic energy contribution to the Race Rocks Integrated Energy System. The energy from the solar panels is distributed to the three circuits on the island. It is anticipated that this data will be available as of mid-March 2007. The graphs illustrate the load demand and the pv /generator contribution to the three circuits. As of March 6, the data to this page is still being adjusted.
	FILE 8: Power and Energy units converters.
	FILE 9: Links to PV generator statistics for other locations:Solar for Schools Programs

OBJECTIVES:

1. Analyze the relationship between the variables of incident solar radiation, temperature and ultraviolet light levels , showing presence or absence of correlation.

2. Develop a predictive model for PV energy generation based on the season or month of the year.

3. Extract data from other Solar for Schools programs and compare and contrast daily and monthly solar generating capacities.

4. Draw a graph showing the variation in solar energy generation at different latitudes in the four quarters of the year.

5. Show competence in the use of the Energy and Power Unit converters.

6. Use the data from this website to design investigations using statistics

7. Design and carry out investigations using the data available from the weather station and the pv generation archives.

Student Guide
The following directions will refer to the numbered files above. They should provide all the resources necessary to do the various invitations to inquiry. Where possible we have structured the inquiries so that students may be encouraged to develop their own objectives and procedures. Research like this requires knowing the type of data available, and knowing the limitations of the data. Conclusions to such investigations may only be able to suggest trends that are observed, and this should be part of the investigative process that is recognized by the student.

PROCEDURE:

This exercise will be available when the finalization of the output is complete in the Race Rocks Energy System.

1. After analyzing several of the archived graphs found in file # 5, as well as any current data that you may gain from present time measurements from file # 2, pose a problem which is designed to determine the relationship between level of Solar Energy and the Level of utra-violet energy available at Race Rocks. Some of the variables you may consider are the time of the day and time of the year. ( As more data is accumulated in the database, you may even be able to compare one year with another.)

2. Another idea worth pursuing is the relationship between available solar energy as measured by the weather station, file # 2, and energy generated by the solar panels as monitored by fIle # 7`

3. Using File # 9 obtain data from at least four sets of PV generator record which are located at different latitudes for representative sunny days in each quarter of the year. Since the units may be different, ie both the size of panel and the unit of energy generated, you may have to do some calculating, using the converter in file # 8. Design a problem which provides a predictive model of the relationship between energy generation at different latitudes at different times of the year.

4. In file # 5, the availability of sunlight in Canada at different times of the year will be made available. From the archives shown, you will be able to see the increasing day length in the spring and summer months of the year and the decreasing length of daylight hours in the fall of the year. Produce a graph of day length plotted against total solar energy generation from file # 7. Draw conclusions based on your observations on the importance of increasing day length for increasing solar energy production.

5. Use the references in file # 4 and use the remote controlled camera to be able to examine bird and mammal behaviour on the island. The Ethology Assignment has as one of its objectives" b) Analyse the relationship between animal behaviors and meteorological events." Use the directions for constructing an "ethogram" and do two ethograms, contrasting the behaviours of an animal on days of high solar energy levels with behaviour on days of low solar energy levels . Be aware of the variable "temperature" which you may wish to reference at the same time.

6. Use data from the air temperature file # 3 and from the solar energy generation file # 7 to design an investigation involving Statistical Correlations. See also http://www.animatedsoftware.com/statglos/sgcorrel.htm

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