Monthly Archives: May 2016

Your Questions About Solar Energy For Kids

Laura asks…

How could I get an insight into renewable energy, with possibly a summer internship?

I’m 16, and will be 17 by the summer, I’m still in Secondary school and I would really like to get some sort of insight into renewable energy over the summer, as I would like to persue a career in that field. I live in Ayr in Scotland, so it would have to be near there possibly out to glasgow. I’ve no idea how to go about it, and I don’t know what company I could go to either. The company I could think of is EDF Energy. I thought of maybe writing an email and asking if I could come in and maybe help out, getting coffee etc. Any help would be great!

admin answers:

Hi Alice. Not being from Scotland, or the UK, I would offer two suggestions. First, get a subscription to a magazine called, “Home Power.” We started reading it 13 years ago, and 12 years ago we went to one of the energy fairs listed in the magazine. Today our home is powered by the wind and sun, and we teach solar power seminars at the local schools, and host field trips to our home for the kids regularly. You interest is a bit deeper than just setting up some panels, and that’s great. Any possibility of finding your way into an internship would pretty much require you have some expertise in the area, not schooling, just better than basic understanding. Starting with that magazine is a great first step. In the back is a calander section that lists happenings, such as fairs.

There is a really big fair each year in Aberdeen each May, I don’t know if you can work out a trip there, but the great thing about a fair is you can learn a lot quickly, and meet just about anyone worth meeting if you want to get involved somehow. The fair we went to had the entire editing staff for that magazine in one booth, and since then I’ve contributed a couple articles for them they have published. There might be other fairs closer to your home, but I’ve clipped the website to the group hosting the Aberdeen one below for you. Try googling, “Energy Fairs in Scotland.”

Any up and coming technology or business is always looking for someone like yourself, who is interested in the technology or work, has energy and some knowledge, and wants to help. The job facing you is just connecting with the right people. An energy fair is the best place to go if you can get to one and have an interest in working in renewable energy. The second link is for a listing service that have some energy fairs listed in Scotland, worth looking into in your case. It’s a great field Alice, and I encourage you to get involved any way you can. Start by learning all you can about the technology. Take care, Rudydoo

Charles asks…

what do i need and how do i make a model solar car?

year 12 science assignment. needs to be fully functional. currently have balsa wood, motor, 4 solar panels (variable is the amount of panels), axels, wheels. needs to be simple in order to gain best results. only counts for 20% of the assignment, theory is 80%. theory is the research etc behind solar energy.

admin answers:

Do the research, im sick of kids asking me to do their homework.

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generator Companies

Linda asks…

Do you believe that solar energy could power the entire USA? Are oil companies preventing solar energy?

Are the oil and nuclear industries tamping down on the development of new renewable energies to protect their own industries? Are renewable energies actually not viable at all?

admin answers:

During Bill Clinton’s administration, his energy supervisor had a plan to power the Southern and Western United States with Solar panels installed on the roofs of home owners. The Middle and Eastern United States with water, wind and Nuclear plants. It would of basically supplied our country with electric without fossil fuels. They fired him!

Next Point: America is sitting on the largest supply of Natural gas in the world. Natural gas is also made from our sewage plants and from dairy industries (manure). This can be used to power engines connected to generators to produce energy stopping green house gases from just going into the air. Some dairies are already doing this to power their businesses. Why are we going with ethanol which is impractical to power vehicles when natural gas/propane powered vehicles are clean burning and efficient?

Mary asks…

What is the least expensive way and how to have electricity independent of city services for a residence?

I want to set up a house, at first i thought of solar and generator but was not specific enough, totally independent of electric, water ect of city services.
I am in Mexico so plenty of sun, a bit of wind or breeze every day.
Also on a budgeted income this needs to be cost effective.
The house has 3 bedrooms, living room kitchen, dining room and 2 bathrooms.
Made with cement an brick and tile floors.
Ask a question if I have not adressed it and I will add it in details, Thanks you.
Wonderful help and ideas I want to say thank you to all.
For more info our house is now
water heater, stove: propane
refrigerator: electric
several fans to cool down the house as my wife is from USA and a mother who is ill that need to stay not too hot.
Mexico actaully is very conservative in energy.
All electric is turned off and unplugged when not in use.
Water heater is not on, (not even a pilot) when not in use, for showers light 30 min prior.
My wife tried this in the states.
it cut her bill down by 7/8th cost of her monthly bills in energy use.
I just want to be able to use a air conditioner or heater without having a quadruple size bill, as if energy is used past a certain point the bill jumps dramatically.
This will insure a happy wife and mother and my pocket left with a bit of change in it too still left.

Tranquility will be wonderful..haha

admin answers:

In your area solar makes the most sense, but you could start small and work up. Depending if you have any power source at all at this time? Having an alternative energy source usually means you must be willing to alter your consumption of power, sometimes drastically! But the satisfaction of being off the grid is something that is very satisfying! Even when you go without some of the things most other people have.
We started with what was there at the house we bought. A generator. Then we added a solar system. We added more panels and more batteries eventually, and upgraded the type of batteries. If I still lived there it would be great to add wind, for when there is no sun. The property is on a hill, so there is almost always a breeze somewhere! There is also a small water resource, but probably not enough to utilize in a cost effective manner. There are some great Yahoo Groups that deal with this subject matter, search them and have a great time!

I lived with solar power and a generator for seven years… My ex still lives there and the system has been in place since 1989. Still goin’ strong… Still a viable alternative. It cost the same as hooking up to the grid when we considered how many poles it would take to get the power to the house… Then the power company wanted to put a transformer in the front yard. Nope… We said “I don’t think so!” and we’re still glad we did!

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