Integrating solar energy and climate research into science education


TitleIntegrating solar energy and climate research into science education
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
AuthorsBetts, AK, Hamilton, J, Ligon, S, Mahar, AM
JournalEarth's Future
Volume4
Start Page2
Issue1
Pagination2 - 13
Date Published2016/01
Keywordsdiurnal climate, Solar flux, solar power
Abstract

This paper analyzes multi-year records of solar flux and climate data from two solar power sites in Vermont. We show the interannual differences of temperature, wind, panel solar flux, electrical power production and cloud cover. Power production has a linear relation to a dimensionless measure of the transmission of sunlight through the cloud field. The difference between panel and air temperatures reaches 24ºC with high solar flux and low windspeed. High panel temperatures that occur in summer with low windspeeds and clear skies can reduce power production by as much as 13%. The intercomparison of two sites 63 km apart shows that while temperature is highly correlated on daily (R2=0.98) and hourly (R2=0.94) timescales, the correlation of panel solar flux drops markedly from daily (R2=0.86) to hourly (R2=0.63) timescales. Minimum temperatures change little with cloud cover, but the diurnal temperature range shows a nearly linear increase with falling cloud cover to 16ºC under nearly clear skies, similar to results from the Canadian Prairies. The availability of these new solar and climate datasets allows local student groups, here a Rutland High School team, to explore the coupled relationships between climate, clouds and renewable power production. As our society makes major changes in our energy infrastructure in response to climate change, it is important that we accelerate the technical education of high school students using real-world data.

URLhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015EF000315/full
DOI10.1002/2015EF000315
Refereed DesignationRefereed
Status: 
Published
Attributable Grant: 
RACC
Grant Year: 
Year5
Acknowledged VT EPSCoR: 
Ack-Yes