presentation on solar power

What Is Solar Power?

What are solar cells, and how do they work? Find out more about solar power - and learn how this renewable resource harnesses the power of the sun into usable energy.

Earth Science, Climatology

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Energy from the sun

The sun has produced energy for billions of years and is the ultimate source for all of the energy sources and fuels that we use. People have used the sun's rays (solar radiation) for thousands of years for warmth and to dry meat, fruit, and grains. Over time, people developed technologies to collect solar energy for heat and to convert it into electricity.

Radiant energy from the sun has powered life on earth for many millions of years.

Source: NASA

Solar thermal (heat) energy

A solar oven (a box for collecting and absorbing sunlight) is an example of a simple solar energy collection device. In the 1830s, British astronomer John Herschel used a solar oven to cook food during an expedition to Africa. People now use many different technologies for collecting and converting solar radiation into useful heat energy for a variety of purposes.

We use solar thermal energy systems to heat:

• Water for homes, buildings, or swimming pools
• Air inside homes, greenhouses, and other buildings
• Fluids in solar thermal power plants

Solar photovoltaic systems

Solar photovoltaic (PV) devices, or solar cells, convert sunlight directly into electricity. Small PV cells can power calculators, watches, and other small electronic devices. Larger solar cells are grouped in PV panels, and PV panels are connnected in arrays that can produce electricity for an entire house. Some PV power plants have large arrays that cover many acres to produce electricity for thousands of homes.

Benefits and limitations

Using solar energy has two main benefits:

• Solar energy systems do not produce air pollutants or carbon dioxide.
• Solar energy systems on buildings have minimal effects on the environment.

Solar energy also has some limitations:

• The availability and amount of sunlight that arrives at the earth's surface varies depending on time of day, location, season of the year, and weather conditions.
• The amount of sunlight reaching a square foot of the earth's surface is relatively small, so a large surface area is necessary to absorb or collect enough energy to be useful.

Last reviewed: December 27, 2022

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Solar Energy Introduction Powerpoint Presentation Slides

As there is much focus of science on alternative energies so we offer you solar energy introduction PowerPoint presentation slides which are very useful to convey your message about increasingly demand of solar energy to students, your customers and employees. Let this PPT theme of solar energy introduction to illustrate how this alternate energy is high in demand, economical to use and can be easily transported to every part of the earth. You can do much with this Solar Energy Introduction PPT template starting from how solar energy works, what are the benefits of solar energy? What all things can be done by solar power, cost to generate it and futuristic vision to empower human kind as this generates no pollution. This Solar Energy Introduction presentation slide can be used to inform uses of solar power, its advantages, disadvantages, comparison of current state of electricity versus solar empowerment, its application guide and your future state of this source. Our Solar Energy Introduction Powerpoint Presentation Slides are the essential beat of your lilting melody. Adorn them with your tuneful thoughts and top the charts.

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Content of this Powerpoint Presentation

In the 21st century, the world is transitioning from non-renewable to renewable sources of energy. Solar power generation, which is considered to be the cleanest and the most sustainable source of electricity, is leading this massive change.

Solar electricity is already finding a wide range of applications in both commercial and residential sectors. Overall, the global solar power market had grown by over 40% in the first two decades of this century. This showcases the fact that more and more people are using solar energy to meet their electricity requirements. At the same time, this rapid increase in numbers also indicates how easily solar power is accessible making it a great option for individuals across income brackets. 

At some point, Solar Power Project Proposals become the key requirement as people take to solar power. Learn how to execute a solar power project proposal here.  

Solar Energy Powerpoint Slides

But how do you promote the benefits of solar energy in rural areas? Areas where availability of electricity is quite scarce?

Well, we have something for you that will make your job of showcasing the working and the benefits of solar power generation a piece of cake. 

Get hands-on experience of installing solar power panels with these premium proposals from SlideTeam.  

Using these slides, you can show how one can harness the power of solar energy and be completely independent from the grid. 

Our solar energy presentation slides are 100% customizable and editable allowing you to quickly add in the latest statistics related to the specific region to make it easier for the audience to understand how solar energy is beneficial for them. 

Let’s explore some of the crucial solar energy slides that will elevate your presentation and multiply its impact. 

Template 1: Our Agenda 

When you give presentations without telling the audience about the key focus, you run the very real risk of them leaving the hall wondering what was the point of the talk?  Well, we don’t want something like this to happen to you. Thus, using this slide you will be highlighting the pain points of your audience and offering a remedy or a solution. In addition to this, you can use this specific slide to work as a roadmap for what’s coming next in the presentation.

Template 2: Definition 

Use this slide to present statistics that are related to the solar power generation of that particular country and the state. Also, this is the second most common slide that provides a definition of the presentation’s topic. 

Template 3: Solar Energy Composition Graph

Solar energy is the result of a nuclear reaction that takes place inside the sun. The energy produced by this reaction reaches Earth in the form of electromagnetic radiation. From the graph present in this slide, you can provide a composition of the radiation as it travels through space and reaches the Earth’s surface. Keep in mind that this slide only shows the percentage of the radiation that reaches the surface, as some of it gets scattered by the dust particles present in the atmosphere. The given graph makes it easy for viewers to understand complex data, which otherwise may be hard to comprehend. 

Template 4: Classification Of Solar System

With this PPT, you can showcase and talk about the three main types of solar power systems. Using this slide, you can explain how types of solar power systems work, how using an on-grid solar power system is different from the off-grid one, and how one can install a combined solar power system at their homes, factories, and on the rooftops of their buildings. Apart from this, you can also showcase methods of using solar energy, such as thermal, photovoltaic, passive, and hybrid forms of energy. 

Template 5: Generating Solar Power Easily  

This is one of the most important PPT Templates that we have come up with for the solar energy presentation. Here, even if you don’t read what’s present in the slide, you can see how the generation of solar power takes place using solar photovoltaic solar panels. In addition to this, from this slide, one is informed of the tools and machinery that are required for the best results. 

Template 6: Working Of Solar Panels At Home 

This slide above depicts how photovoltaic solar panels are able to convert the sun's radiation into thermal energy and then transform it into electrical energy. Now, in this slide, you have a diagram that provides information on how solar panels work at your home and give you electricity. Moreover, with this slide, you can highlight electrical appliances that work fine with solar energy and the ones that require electricity directly from the grid. 

Template 7: Solar Energy Breakup

This PowerPoint explains the importance of solar inverters and how they push electricity made by using solar panels to appliances at your home. Also, from this slide, viewers get to see how the generated electricity is measured and what happens when solar panels are able to generate more electricity than your home requires. You can edit this slide and create another diagram that shows how the extra power that solar panels generate is transferred to the grid or stored in the inverter ready to be used whenever required. 

Template 8: Advantages Of Solar Energy 

This PPT is the most basic and  the most influential slide in our solar energy presentation. That’s because it provides a comprehensive view of major benefits that individuals get to enjoy when they install solar panels in their homes. You can edit the list to provide benefits that are specific to the service you are providing. 

This slide throws some light on how solar panels are affordable, and how solar power generation makes users independent of fossil fuels, and how one can even charge their electric vehicles using these solar power generators. 

Template 9: Top 10  Solar States of the US

This is the last slide from our solar energy PowerPoint, and here you can see a big, colorful map of the US. The states, which are marked in colors, depict the use of solar power generation. The ones that are not marked by any color are not on the list of the top 10 solar states of America.

Besides this, you can also use a similar type of map for your own country and highlight states that are more solar efficient than others. Along with this, you can add stats to this PPT to make it more reliable for the audience. 

Use This Slide To Turn the Theoretical Presentation Of Solar Generation Into Practical Implementation  

A presentation that talks about the introduction of solar energy gives service providers an impactful tool that enhances the working knowledge of solar panels and its requirements in the minds of their potential customers. These slides are easy to understand, and with their proper use, you can build a pool of knowledge among your customers. This increases their chance of investing in your product or services. 

PS Understand solar energy business concept with a look at the green ecology around it. Click here to access. 

Solar Energy Introduction Powerpoint Presentation Slides with all 69 slides:

Find a fixed direction with our Solar Energy Introduction Powerpoint Presentation Slides. Your thoughts will cease to gyrate around.

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July 1, 2020

Solar Energy

Solar energy is created by nuclear fusion that takes place in the sun. It is necessary for life on Earth, and can be harvested for human uses such as electricity.

Earth Science, Engineering, Physics

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Solar energy is any type of energy generated by the sun . Solar energy is created by nuclear fusion that takes place in the sun. Fusion occurs when protons of hydrogen atoms violently collide in the sun’s core and fuse to create a helium atom. This process, known as a PP (proton-proton) chain reaction, emits an enormous amount of energy. In its core, the sun fuses about 620 million metric tons of hydrogen every second. The PP chain reaction occurs in other stars that are about the size of our sun, and provides them with continuous energy and heat. The temperature for these stars is around 4 million degrees on the Kelvin scale (about 4 million degrees Celsius, 7 million degrees Fahrenheit). In stars that are about 1.3 times bigger than the sun, the CNO cycle drives the creation of energy. The CNO cycle also converts hydrogen to helium, but relies on carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen (C, N, and O) to do so. Currently , less than two percent of the sun’s energy is created by the CNO cycle. Nuclear fusion by the PP chain reaction or CNO cycle releases tremendous amounts of energy in the form of waves and particles. Solar energy is constantly flowing away from the sun and throughout the solar system . Solar energy warms Earth, causes wind and weather , and sustains plant and animal life. The energy, heat, and light from the sun flow away in the form of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). The electromagnetic spectrum exists as waves of different frequencies and wavelengths. The frequency of a wave represents how many times the wave repeats itself in a certain unit of time. Waves with very short wavelengths repeat themselves several times in a given unit of time, so they are high-frequency. In contrast, low-frequency waves have much longer wavelengths. The vast majority of electromagnetic waves are invisible to us. The most high-frequency waves emitted by the sun are gamma rays, X-rays, and ultraviolet radiation (UV rays). The most harmful UV rays are almost completely absorbed by Earth’s atmosphere . Less potent UV rays travel through the atmosphere, and can cause sunburn. The sun also emits infrared radiation , whose waves are much lower-frequency. Most heat from the sun arrives as infrared energy. Sandwiched between infrared and UV is the visible spectrum, which contains all the colors we see on Earth. The color red has the longest wavelengths (closest to infrared), and violet (closest to UV) the shortest. Natural Solar Energy Greenhouse Effect The infrared, visible, and UV waves that reach Earth take part in a process of warming the planet and making life possible—the so-called “greenhouse effect.” About 30 percent of the solar energy that reaches Earth is reflected back into space. The rest is absorbed into Earth’s atmosphere. The radiation warms Earth’s surface, and the surface radiates some of the energy back out in the form of infrared waves. As they rise through the atmosphere, they are intercepted by greenhouse gases , such as water vapor and carbon dioxide.

Greenhouse gases trap the heat that reflects back up into the atmosphere. In this way, they act like the glass walls of a greenhouse. This greenhouse effect keeps Earth warm enough to sustain life. Photosynthesis Almost all life on Earth relies on solar energy for food, either directly or indirectly. Producers rely directly on solar energy. They absorb sunlight and convert it into nutrients through a process called photosynthesis. Producers, also called autotrophs , include plants, algae, bacteria, and fungi. Autotrophs are the foundation of the food web . Consumers rely on producers for nutrients. Herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and detritivores rely on solar energy indirectly. Herbivores eat plants and other producers. Carnivores and omnivores eat both producers and herbivores. Detritivores decompose plant and animal matter by consuming it. Fossil Fuels Photosynthesis is also responsible for all of the fossil fuels on Earth. Scientists estimate that about three billion years ago, the first autotrophs evolved in aquatic settings. Sunlight allowed plant life to thrive and evolve. After the autotrophs died, they decomposed and shifted deeper into the Earth, sometimes thousands of meters. This process continued for millions of years. Under intense pressure and high temperatures, these remains became what we know as fossil fuels. Microorganisms became petroleum, natural gas, and coal. People have developed processes for extracting these fossil fuels and using them for energy. However, fossil fuels are a nonrenewable resource . They take millions of years to form. Harnessing Solar Energy Solar energy is a renewable resource , and many technologies can harvest it directly for use in homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals. Some solar energy technologies include photovoltaic cells and panels, concentrated solar energy , and solar architecture . There are different ways of capturing solar radiation and converting it into usable energy. The methods use either active solar energy or passive solar energy . Active solar technologies use electrical or mechanical devices to actively convert solar energy into another form of energy, most often heat or electricity. Passive solar technologies do not use any external devices. Instead, they take advantage of the local climate to heat structures during the winter, and reflect heat during the summer. Photovoltaics Photovoltaics is a form of active solar technology that was discovered in 1839 by 19-year-old French physicist Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel. Becquerel discovered that when he placed silver-chloride in an acidic solution and exposed it to sunlight, the platinum electrodes attached to it generated an electric current. This process of generating electricity directly from solar radiation is called the photovoltaic effect, or photovoltaics.

Today, photovoltaics is probably the most familiar way to harness solar energy. Photovoltaic arrays usually involve solar panels , a collection of dozens or even hundreds of solar cells. Each solar cell contains a semiconductor , usually made of silicon. When the semiconductor absorbs sunlight, it knocks electrons loose. An electrical field directs these loose electrons into an electric current, flowing in one direction. Metal contacts at the top and bottom of a solar cell direct that current to an external object. The external object can be as small as a solar-powered calculator or as large as a power station. Photovoltaics was first widely used on spacecraft. Many satellites , including the International Space Station (ISS), feature wide, reflective “wings” of solar panels. The ISS has two solar array wings (SAWs), each using about 33,000 solar cells. These photovoltaic cells supply all electricity to the ISS, allowing astronauts to operate the station, safely live in space for months at a time, and conduct scientific and engineering experiments. Photovoltaic power stations have been built all over the world. The largest stations are in the United States, India, and China. These power stations emit hundreds of megawatts of electricity, used to supply homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals. Photovoltaic technology can also be installed on a smaller scale. Solar panels and cells can be fixed to the roofs or exterior walls of buildings, supplying electricity for the structure. They can be placed along roads to light highways. Solar cells are small enough to power even smaller devices, such as calculators, parking meters, trash compactors, and water pumps. Concentrated Solar Energy Another type of active solar technology is concentrated solar energy or concentrated solar power (CSP). CSP technology uses lenses and mirrors to focus (concentrate) sunlight from a large area into a much smaller area. This intense area of radiation heats a fluid, which in turn generates electricity or fuels another process. Solar furnaces are an example of concentrated solar power. There are many different types of solar furnaces, including solar power towers , parabolic troughs, and Fresnel reflectors. They use the same general method to capture and convert energy. Solar power towers use heliostats , flat mirrors that turn to follow the sun’s arc through the sky. The mirrors are arranged around a central “collector tower,” and reflect sunlight into a concentrated ray of light that shines on a focal point on the tower. In previous designs of solar power towers, the concentrated sunlight heated a container of water, which produced steam that powered a turbine . More recently, some solar power towers use liquid sodium, which has a higher heat capacity and retains heat for a longer period of time. This means that the fluid not only reaches temperatures of 773 to 1,273K (500° to 1,000° C or 932° to 1,832° F), but it can continue to boil water and generate power even when the sun is not shining. Parabolic troughs and Fresnel reflectors also use CSP, but their mirrors are shaped differently. Parabolic mirrors are curved, with a shape similar to a saddle. Fresnel reflectors use flat, thin strips of mirror to capture sunlight and direct it onto a tube of liquid. Fresnel reflectors have more surface area than parabolic troughs and can concentrate the sun’s energy to about 30 times its normal intensity. Concentrated solar power plants were first developed in the 1980s. The largest facility in the world is a series of plants in Mojave Desert in the U.S. state of California. This Solar Energy Generating System (SEGS) generates more than 650 gigawatt-hours of electricity every year. Other large and effective plants have been developed in Spain and India.

Concentrated solar power can also be used on a smaller scale. It can generate heat for solar cookers , for instance. People in villages all over the world use solar cookers to boil water for sanitation and to cook food. Solar cookers provide many advantages over wood-burning stoves: They are not a fire hazard, do not produce smoke, do not require fuel, and reduce habitat loss in forests where trees would be harvested for fuel. Solar cookers also allow villagers to pursue time for education, business, health, or family during time that was previously used for gathering firewood. Solar cookers are used in areas as diverse as Chad, Israel, India, and Peru. Solar Architecture Throughout the course of a day, solar energy is part of the process of thermal convection , or the movement of heat from a warmer space to a cooler one. When the sun rises, it begins to warm objects and material on Earth. Throughout the day, these materials absorb heat from solar radiation. At night, when the sun sets and the atmosphere has cooled, the materials release their heat back into the atmosphere. Passive solar energy techniques take advantage of this natural heating and cooling process. Homes and other buildings use passive solar energy to distribute heat efficiently and inexpensively. Calculating a building’s “ thermal mass ” is an example of this. A building’s thermal mass is the bulk of material heated throughout the day. Examples of a building’s thermal mass are wood, metal, concrete, clay, stone, or mud. At night, the thermal mass releases its heat back into the room. Effective ventilation systems—hallways, windows, and air ducts—distribute the warmed air and maintain a moderate, consistent indoor temperature. Passive solar technology is often involved in the design of a building. For example, in the planning stage of construction, the engineer or architect may align the building with the sun’s daily path to receive desirable amounts of sunlight. This method takes into account the latitude , altitude , and typical cloud cover of a specific area. In addition, buildings can be constructed or retrofitted to have thermal insulation, thermal mass, or extra shading. Other examples of passive solar architecture are cool roofs, radiant barriers , and green roofs . Cool roofs are painted white, and reflect the sun’s radiation instead of absorbing it. The white surface reduces the amount of heat that reaches the interior of the building, which in turn reduces the amount of energy that is needed to cool the building. Radiant barriers work similarly to cool roofs. They provide insulation with highly reflective materials, such as aluminum foil. The foil reflects, instead of absorbs, heat, and can reduce cooling costs up to 10 percent. In addition to roofs and attics, radiant barriers may also be installed beneath floors. Green roofs are roofs that are completely covered with vegetation . They require soil and irrigation to support the plants, and a waterproof layer beneath. Green roofs not only reduce the amount of heat that is absorbed or lost, but also provide vegetation. Through photosynthesis, the plants on green roofs absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen. They filter pollutants out of rainwater and air, and offset some of the effects of energy use in that space. Green roofs have been a tradition in Scandinavia for centuries, and have recently become popular in Australia, Western Europe, Canada, and the United States. For example, the Ford Motor Company covered 42,000 square meters (450,000 square feet) of its assembly plant roofs in Dearborn, Michigan, with vegetation. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the roofs reduce stormwater runoff by absorbing several centimeters of rainfall.

Green roofs and cool roofs can also counteract the “ urban heat island ” effect. In busy cities, the temperature can be consistently higher than the surrounding areas. Many factors contribute to this: Cities are constructed of materials such as asphalt and concrete that absorb heat; tall buildings block wind and its cooling effects; and high amounts of waste heat is generated by industry, traffic, and high populations. Using the available space on the roof to plant trees, or reflecting heat with white roofs, can partially alleviate local temperature increases in urban areas. Solar Energy and People Since sunlight only shines for about half of the day in most parts of the world, solar energy technologies have to include methods of storing the energy during dark hours. Thermal mass systems use paraffin wax or various forms of salt to store the energy in the form of heat. Photovoltaic systems can send excess electricity to the local power grid , or store the energy in rechargeable batteries. There are many pros and cons to using solar energy. Advantages A major advantage to using solar energy is that it is a renewable resource. We will have a steady, limitless supply of sunlight for another five billion years. In one hour, Earth’s atmosphere receives enough sunlight to power the electricity needs of every human being on Earth for a year. Solar energy is clean. After the solar technology equipment is constructed and put in place, solar energy does not need fuel to work. It also does not emit greenhouse gases or toxic materials. Using solar energy can drastically reduce the impact we have on the environment. There are locations where solar energy is practical . Homes and buildings in areas with high amounts of sunlight and low cloud cover have the opportunity to harness the sun’s abundant energy. Solar cookers provide an excellent alternative to cooking with wood-fired stoves—on which two billion people still rely. Solar cookers provide a cleaner and safer way to sanitize water and cook food. Solar energy complements other renewable sources of energy, such as wind or hydroelectric energy . Homes or businesses that install successful solar panels can actually produce excess electricity. These homeowners or businessowners can sell energy back to the electric provider, reducing or even eliminating power bills. Disadvantages The main deterrent to using solar energy is the required equipment. Solar technology equipment is expensive. Purchasing and installing the equipment can cost tens of thousands of dollars for individual homes. Although the government often offers reduced taxes to people and businesses using solar energy, and the technology can eliminate electricity bills, the initial cost is too steep for many to consider. Solar energy equipment is also heavy. In order to retrofit or install solar panels on the roof of a building, the roof must be strong, large, and oriented toward the sun’s path. Both active and passive solar technology depend on factors that are out of our control, such as climate and cloud cover. Local areas must be studied to determine whether or not solar power would be effective in that area. Sunlight must be abundant and consistent for solar energy to be an efficient choice. In most places on Earth, sunlight’s variability makes it difficult to implement as the only source of energy.

Agua Caliente The Agua Caliente Solar Project, in Yuma, Arizona, United States, is the world's largest array of photovoltaic panels. Agua Caliente has more than five million photovoltaic modules, and generates more than 600 gigawatt-hours of electricity.

Green Chicago Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois, United States, has one of the most expansive green roofs in the world almost 100,000 square meters (more than a million square feet). Vegetation at ground level covers 24.5 acres of an underground parking garage, and includes gardens, picnic areas, and an outdoor concert facility.

Solar Decathlon The Solar Decathlon is a biannual international event presented by the U.S. Department of Energy. Teams compete to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house.

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As the market for solar power technologies grows, determining the amount solar energy available at a given location is important for maximizing energy efficiency of solar technologies and determining if solar power is even a possibility for a specific region. Engineers must understand the basics of solar energy and the Earth in order to incorporate solar energy into their designs.

After this lesson, students should be able to:

• Describe solar energy and why it changes with time and location.
• Calculate the amount of solar energy on Earth at a given time and location.
• Explain how solar energy is used in sustainable engineering applications.
• Explain why solar energy is becoming more prevalent.

Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .

Ngss: next generation science standards - science.

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Common Core State Standards - Math

International technology and engineering educators association - technology, state standards, colorado - math, colorado - science.

Familiarity with basic Algebra skills.

Did you know that the sun can help us heat and light our homes, cook our food, and heat our water? In fact, many communities do not have access to fossil fuels or wood, which are typically used to supply our energy needs, and so people rely on the Sun to do all of these things!

Many other communities that do have access to coal, natural gas, oil and wood have decided to use renewable energies such as solar power instead. Why? This is because the reliance on fossil fuels and wood is believed to lead to climate change, which has intensified severe weather events such as floods and storms. Sea levels could rise dramatically in the 21st century if a different course of action is not taken to supply our energy needs.

But just how much energy can we capture from the sun? What do you think it depends on? Today's lesson will give us an idea of how we can use the Sun's energy and how to determine how much solar energy is available to us. Following the lesson, consider conducting the associated activity Solar Water: Heat it Up! where students learn about the engineering design process as they design, build and test flat-plate solar water heaters! 

Lesson Background and Concepts for Teachers

Use the following script as you show the class the Solar Power Presentation . Then have students complete the Solar Power Energy Estimation Worksheet .

This lesson is a modified version of the more complicated method of determining solar radiation at a given location and time to introduce students to the concept of solar energy experienced on Earth. For a more detailed explanation of solar angles, refer to the Solar Angles and Tracking Systems lesson for photovoltaic modules.

Slide 1 [Solar Power] – Title slide.

Slide 2 [Why do we need solar power?] – In many locations of the world, like the Pacific Islands, natural resources such as fossil fuels are not available. Often, fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, are shipped to these areas to provide heat and electricity. Rather than transporting these fuels, we can generate both heat (for cooking and water heating) and electricity (with photovoltaic panels) with energy from the sun.

Slide 3 [Problems with fossil fuels] – Unfortunately, when we burn fossil fuels to provide heat and electricity, greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere. This intensifies the greenhouse effect, whereby more of the sun's heat is trapped in our atmosphere. The abundance of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere is responsible for many of the current changes we are seeing in our weather.

Slide 4 [Climate change consequences] – Climate change can cause many undesirable weather events such as more frequent severe storms (such as Superstorm Sandy), more frequent flooding (also caused by deforestation), and rising sea levels (due to more melting of the polar ice caps).

Slide 5 [Lack of natural resources] – When people use wood for cooking and heating water and homes, many trees must be harvested. If more trees are cut down than are planted and allowed to grow, this energy source is unsustainable. For example, the government of Haiti did not regulate the number of trees that its citizens were permitted to cut down. As a result, the forests in the country have been destroyed. Conversely, the government of the Dominican Republic monitored its country's forests. The border between the two countries shows this difference in forest management.

Slide 6 [Potential dangers of deforestation] – We need our forests to protect our soils; otherwise, erosion can occur. Erosion harms our natural habitats and deteriorates the soil to the point that it is no longer suitable for farming. The roots of trees also prevent rain from pouring down the surfaces of hills and mountains in vast quantities. When too many trees have been removed from hillsides, flash floods can occur, causing mudslides.

Slide 7 [Solar energy around the world] – Communities around the world use solar energy to heat homes and cook food when electricity is not available. In Peru, solar water heaters heat water for taking showers, and Trombe walls work like greenhouses to heat homes by absorbing the Sun's energy. In Mexico, this solar dish kitchen was designed to heat water and cook food by concentrating the Sun's energy using mirrors. This same concept is used with solar ovens for cooking food.

Slide 8 [Solar energy close to home] – We can get our electricity from solar energy using photovoltaic panels. The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) in Colorado researches methods for efficient electricity production from solar energy. Many U.S. homes use solar water heaters. The top, middle image shows how a solar water heater might be set up on someone's roof. The solar water heater faces south and is connected to a water storage tank. Cold water is pumped to the solar module while the water heated by the Sun is used in the home. Batch water heaters and flat-plate collectors are two popular types of solar water heaters.

Slide 9 [About half...] – Only about one-half of all incoming solar energy reaches the Earth's surface. The other half of the Sun's energy is reflected back into space by the planet's atmosphere or clouds, or it is absorbed by atmospheric gases, clouds and the Earth's surface. Solar energy is measured as solar power per unit area. Common units are Watts per meter squared. This is called irradiance. When we think about solar energy used in solar modules such as solar water heaters or photovoltaic (PV) panels, we use energy units of Watt-hours per square meter (called insolation) or just Watt hours (heat energy).

Slide 10 [The amount of...] – The amount of solar energy found on Earth changes with location. One indication of the amount of solar energy present is the temperature at the Earth's surface. So, the hotter it is, the more radiation we expect to find. This image shows different temperatures around the world, where the blue and purple colors indicate cold temperatures (and low solar radiation) and the red and orange colors indicate hotter temperatures (and more solar radiation). Notice that most of the Sun's energy is focused around the equator and it decreases as we approach the North and South Poles. Where are we on this map? What is the color? How does the amount of solar energy we get here compare with what is found on the equator or either pole?

Slide 11 [...and time] – The amount of solar energy we have access to not only depends on location, but it also depends on the time of day and the time of year. The angle of the sun relative to us relates to the amount of solar energy we experience. During the day, the Sun moves in the east-west direction. Throughout the year, the Sun also moves in the north-south direction. So, the amount of solar energy present in the middle of the day in the summer is quite different than the amount of solar energy we get in the afternoon during winter.

Slide 12 [How much...] – In the Northern Hemisphere, regardless of location, all solar modules needs to be set up to face south because that is the direction that captures the most sunshine at any time of the year. If you were located in the Southern Hemisphere, you would set up your solar module to face north. A tilt angle is the angle the solar module (in this case a solar water heater) needs to be set up from the ground (the horizon) in order to capture the most amount of solar energy. The tilt angle is the same angle as the latitude of the solar module's location.

For example, if we were located in Boulder, Colorado, the latitude is 40.1 o so the solar water heater (or PV panel) would need to be tilted 40.1 o from the ground facing south.

Slide 13 [How much...] – NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has a website where we can find the exact coordinates of our location. When you open the website, place the red balloon on our location on the map and the output will give you the location in terms of latitude and longitude.

Slide 14 [How much...] – We also need to take note of the time of year and the time of day for which we want to find the solar energy potential.

Slide 16 [How much...] – We can access these solar maps from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) website and find our month. (Note: If you do not have internet access to show the online maps, print out the attached Solar Energy Maps in color and hand them out to students.)

Slide 17 [How much...] – When we find our corresponding month, say for example "May," we find our location on the map and use the color to determine how much solar energy we have in terms of kilowatt hours per meter squared per day (kWh/m 2 /day).

Slide 18 [How much...] – Now let's work with our worksheets to to determine how much solar energy potential we have where we live.

For worksheet answer explanations, refer to the Solar Power Energy Estimation Worksheet Answers .To find the latitude of your location (which is needed in order to determine the tilt angle of a solar module), visit the NOAA Solar Calculator web page or use any internet browser to search for the latitude of your location (latitude is measured in degrees). Access the solar energy maps at the NREL website ( https://www.nrel.gov/gis/solar.html ) or print out the  Solar Energy Maps in color as a student handout.

Watch this activity on YouTube

As the demand for solar energy increases, engineers strive to make more efficient solar devices by capturing the most energy possible using the least amount of resources. Determining the available solar energy in a given location is essential for determining the efficiency of a solar device or establishing if solar power devices are even possible options. Today, you determined how much solar energy is available at our location, and this information can help you determine the efficiency and output of solar devices.

angle of inclination: The angle the solar water heater (or other solar module) is positioned above the horizontal. In this lesson, the angle is the same as your latitude.

erosion: The deterioration of rocks and soils due to wind and/or moving water. Erosion can be intensified by deforestation.

fossil fuels: Natural resources created by the decomposition of organic matter over millions of years.

greenhouse gases: Gases such as carbon dioxide that inhibit thermal energy from escaping the Earth's atmosphere. These gases are necessary to moderate the Earth's temperature, but an overabundance of them can increase global warming. These gases are released by the burning of fossil fuels.

heat energy: The energy entering the solar module in units of Watt-hours, also referred to as Qin.

insolation: The amount of solar radiation hitting a surface per unit of area over a given period of time. This is also referred to as solar irradiation, and is displayed in units of Wh/m^2 (watt-hours per meter squared).

irradiance: The amount of solar radiation hitting a surface per unit of area and displayed in units of W/m^2 (watts per meter squared).

solar constant: The maximum solar energy available on Earth per unit area. Measured at high noon (when the Sun is directly overhead) on the equator and found to be 1376 W/m^2.

solar module: A device that collects solar energy for heating or electrical applications. Examples include solar water heaters and photovoltaic (PV) panels.

solar radiation: The electromagnetic radiation (ultraviolet and near-infrared wavelengths) that is emitted by the Sun. This energy is captured and employed by useful applications such as heating and electricity.

tilt angle: The angle from the horizon that the solar module should be tilted. The angle should be equal to the latitude of the location. For example, if you are located at latitude of 40 degrees, the solar module should be tilted 40 degrees from the horizon.

trombe wall: A Sun-facing wall of a house separated from the outdoors by glass and an air space, which absorbs solar energy and releases it towards the interior at night.

Worksheet: Assign students to complete the Solar Power Energy Estimation Worksheet as an in-class worksheet or homework. Review their answers to gauge their depth of understanding of the lesson content.

Students learn how the sun can be used for energy. They learn about passive solar heating, lighting and cooking, and active solar engineering technologies (such as photovoltaic arrays and concentrating mirrors) that generate electricity.

Students learn about the daily and annual cycles of solar angles used in power calculations to maximize photovoltaic power generation. They gain an overview of solar tracking systems that improve PV panel efficiency by following the sun through the sky.

Students learn and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of renewable and non-renewable energy sources. They also learn about our nation's electric power grid and what it means for a residential home to be "off the grid."

Contributors

Supporting program, acknowledgements.

The contents of these digital library curricula were developed by the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program under National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0338326. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government. 

Last modified: November 3, 2022

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