The purpose of this project is to determine how shade can affect the efficiency of solar panels. To do the project you need two kinds of solar panels: monocrystalline and amorphous. You also need a power meter to record both the voltage and the amps that the panels are producing. When setting up the experiment, make sure that both panels are placed at the exact same angle and distance to the light source. First record the output of the panels without shade and then record the output with shade. The results should help in determining which type of panel would be best suited for different environments, for instance, a wooded area as opposed to one that is treeless.
This project helps determine which indoor light source will make a solar panel produce the most power. To do the experiment you need a solar panel, a power meter and three types of light sources: fluorescent, incandescent and halogen. Make sure to place the solar panel at the same distance and angle to the light source under all three conditions, then record the power output from the solar cell using the power meter. Afterward, use the data collected to draw your conclusions.
In this project you determine whether wind turbines are most effective in laminar or turbulent wind flow. Laminar wind flow is a constant streamline, whereas turbulent wind flow is erratic. To test which is better at producing power, you need a small wind turbine, a wind tunnel and power meter. After hooking up the turbine to the power meter, use the wind tunnel to recreate both laminar and turbulent wind conditions while recording the power output of the turbine. Then draw your conclusions using the data you've collected. Your conclusions will help you determine what type of setting might be best for a wind turbine.
The question in this project is whether or not you can increase the power of a wind turbine by funneling air through an hour glass shaped cover that would direct the air around the turbine. To do this experiment you need a wind turbine, a wind tunnel, the covers and a power meter. Place the turbine in the wind tunnel and attach it to the power meter. Then test the power it produces both with the cover and without. Afterward, draw your conclusions from the data you collected.