Outline:
We will calculate the efficiency of two solar energy harvesting systems: the PPA photovoltaic array above the elab, and the solar thermal panels above the bathrooms at Perry-Fiske (neé "Anna's").
Steps: PV array
- Measure the dimension in meters of one panel of the PPA array above the elab
- Count the total number of panels
- On elab2.hpa.edu, measure both the energy harvested from the array around noon or whenever you took your data, and the solar radiation here at the same time (look under "Telemetry"->"HPA Energy")
- Alternate data source: http://elab4.hpa.edu/cgi-bin/EMCcgi?, look under "dashboards" then "other dashboards" for the one called "HPA campus energy". You can also use "monitor" to graph solar and radiation data.
- Multiply the solar radiation (in W/m2) by the area (in m2) to get total Watts of solar energy falling on the panels.
- Divide the harvested energy (in Watts) by the radiation (in Watts) to get % efficiency (recall the number should be less than 1.00 or 100%)
- How many kWh per day would this array provide at 5.5 solar hours per day?
- How many $ is this, assuming $0.40 per kWh?
- HPA has the option to purchase the PPA array in 2 years for about $150K. What would be the TCO and ROI for this array if it lasts another 15 years?
- How big (panels or m2) would the array have to be if it were 95% efficient (like solar thermal) gathering the same power?
Steps: Solar thermal array, Perry Fiske
- Count the number of panels on the bathrooms at Perry-Fiske (both buildings)
- If each panel is 2 meters wide and 3 meters tall, what is the total area of one panel?
- What is the total area of all of the panels?
- If these panels are 95% efficient, using the same solar insolation (radiation) numbers from above, how many Watts of power would you expect from this array?
- How many kWh would this provide, if it ran for 5.5 hours per day?
- How many $ is this, assuming $0.40 per kWh?
- If this array cost $2000 per panel, what would be the TCO for one panel?
- What would be the ROI if it worked for 20 years?
- If propane produces 23 kWh per gallon, how many gallons of propane have we avoided in 20 years?
- If 12 pounds of CO2 are released for every gallon of propane, how many pounds of CO2 did we avoid in 20 years?
- How could drones be used on our campus to make certain our solar thermal panels are working properly? (hint: think of the thermal camera we tested in class)
- Our pool has a very low efficiency solar thermal system on the roof of the locker rooms. How are these leaks costing the campus money?
Green New Deal: carbon neutral by 2030
- How is this like the New Deal in the Roosevelt era?
- How is this like the moonshot in 1960?
- What would be different about our country if we were net carbon neutral in 2030?
- What impact would this have on climate change, directly and indirectly?
- People will be asking you about this, since you know so much about energy. What would you tell them?
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