Alternatives to non-renewable energy resources such as wind and solar will be essential components of any plans to address the global warming that has been induced by human activity. Although solar panels are being deployed in large arrays in centralized generation facilities, the deployment of highly decentralized arrays on residential and commercial buildings is becoming very common. In this study, students investigate how the angle of sunlight incidence on a solar panel influences the power output of a panel and the absolute efficiency of solar panels. These data may be used to estimate the contribution that solar panels could make to the average electrical power demands of a home, given the limitations of fixed position panels and Firstpagelimited roof area.
Keywords: guided inquiry, global warming, course-based research, fossil fuel alternatives, solar panel
University of Ottawa (2019)
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