Renewable Energy Bundle

This bundle includes the Renewable Energy Kit and two sensors. Students can investigate key concepts around energy transformation and factors that affect the efficiency of wind turbines and solar (photovoltaic) cells. The setup is easy and can be done in the classroom or lab for fast results.

Using PASCO sensors for voltage and current, students can explore the following concepts:

• Effect of angle, light intensity, and temperature of solar cell output
• Calculating solar cell and wind turbine efficiency
• The effect of number of blades, length, pitch, and shape on wind turbine power output
• Energy transformation, power curves, and efficiency

After exploring these concepts, students will be challenged to create a design for either solar or wind power that maximizes energy output under a given set of conditions. This is a great way to leverage the knowledge they’ve acquired for an engineering design challenge and bring STEM into your classroom.

What’s Included

• • 1x Renewable Energy Kit (SE-7611)
  • 1x Wireless Voltage Sensor (PS-3211)
  • 1x Wireless Current Sensor (PS-3212)

SPARKlabs

11 Free and completely interactive activities that guide students through the concepts of Renewable Energy from the basics of Energy Conservation through how turbines and solar cells function and are optimized.

Requires SPARKvue software

Energy Transformations 

(SPARKlab) (Student PDF)

Learn how one type of energy can be converted into another. Observe energy transformations that produce electricity.

Sensors used: Temperature, Voltage, Light

 

What is Electricity?

(SPARKlab) (Student PDF) Determine the relationship between voltage and current while studying electricity in a solar-powered circuit.

Sensors used: Voltage, Current

 

Solar Panel Performance

(SPARKlab) (Student PDF) Investigate how panel angle, cloud cover, and dust affect solar panel output.

Sensors used: Voltage

Light and Solar Panels

(SPARKlab) (Student PDF) Investigate how electromagnetic energy interacts with a solar panel surface to generate electricity.

Sensors used: Voltage

Load and Solar Panels

(SPARKlab) (Student PDF)  Explore how loads affect voltage, current, resistance, and power in a solar-powered circuit.

Sensors used: Voltage, Current

Heat and Solar Panels

(SPARKlab) (Student PDF) Discover how temperature is related to solar panel output.

Sensors used: Current, Temperature

Wind Power I: Distance and Speed

(SPARKlab) (Student PDF) Understand the relationship between wind speed and turbine output.

Sensors used: Voltage

Also required: an electric fan (not included)

Wind Power II: Blade Length, Number, and Pitch

(SPARKlab) (Student PDF) 
Investigate the impact of blade length, pitch, and number of blades on energy output.

Sensors used: Voltage, Current

Also required: an electric fan (not included)

Power and Energy

(SPARKlab) (Student PDF) 
Distinguish between power and energy. Measure voltage and current to produce a graphical representation of power and energy.

Sensors used: Voltage, Current

Power Curves

(SPARKlab) (Student PDF) 
Create a power curve to describe wind turbine performance.

Sensors used: Voltage, Current, Weather/Anemometer

Also required: an electric fan (not included)

 

Design an Efficient Turbine

(SPARKlab) (Student PDF) 
STEM challenge: Design the most efficient wind turbine for a given wind speed.

Sensors used: Voltage, Current

Also required: an electric fan (not included)