How to make a science fair project using solar power?

Solar power is one of the main sources of energy. But the potential of solar energy has not been tapped completely. Experiments have been going on all over the world to find ways in which solar energy could be utilized. Thus solar power has been one of the favorite topics for science fair projects. Some ideas for science fair projects are given below.

1. You could find the conditions that are optimal for the operation of energy sources that are powered by solar energy. For this you will have to collect data (the output) from solar panels under various conditions like when the sky is cloudy or when it is clear or when it is placed under direct sunlight or under trees or in the shade. Using the data you can find the source that produces maximum energy. You could point out the importance of these results in designing solar panels for houses and other structures.

2. The technology that has been used to generate solar power has undergone many changes over the years. The old technology was crude and the new ones are more refined. The technology has evolved over time. You could undertake a comparative study of the old technology and the new one and this will make an interesting science project.

3. This comparison of technologies could be done in a general manner concentrating on the technology alone. Another method of doing this is to concentrate on a specific region or country and compare the power generation systems used there today with those of the early days.

4. You might be aware of photovoltaic cells that are used to produce electricity from solar energy. These cells are made of glass and silicon. You could undertake a study of the working of the photo voltaic cells. You could use detailed diagrams to explain its working at a sub-atomic level.

5. Another interesting project is to analyze the feasibility of using solar energy to power individual homes. You could design a solar panel for a home taking into account its power requirements. After designing the panel, the cost of the equipment, installation cost, and other costs related with installing the panel has to be calculated. The cost of electricity for the house for a certain period is then calculated. With these two data you could undertake a comparative study of the costs involved in powering your home by solar energy and by the electricity.

6. You could explore the possibility of making a home self sufficient in energy using solar panels. The practicality of such an option has to be studied. Here also you can design the solar panels needed for powering the entire home. The initial cost of installing solar panels is really high. This cost and the approximate maintenance cost per month also has to be calculated. You could study whether there is any cost saving in the long run after incurring such a huge initial cost in installing the solar panels. This will be a study solely on the economic feasibility of the conventional electrical energy source and energy from solar power.