Contributors
Eric Romich
Faculty of Energy Development, OSU College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES)
Susan Marie Bixler
Education and Outreach Assistant, Stone Laboratory
Description
The sun is an infinite source of clean energy, but it can be difficult to capture all of its energy because it moves across the sky, meaning that a position that may optimize energy production in the morning may not be very efficient in the evening. As such, solar arrays are designed to maximize output throughout the day and year. In this activity, students will use real-time data to learn how solar panel placement affects its energy production and use that knowledge to design their own arrays for a given location and season.
