Category: Uncategorized

Lego Experiment

Last week, we did an experiment with our robots. We had to physically measure the distance it ran through, and then compare it to the the distance ran the computer had. Afterwards, using the error formula, we computed our distance into the computer’s and had a margin of error.

At first, we made a mistake on the calculations and had a huge margin of error. It did not make sense since we physically measured the distance and knew that the margin could not get that big. After, we had help from the professor, we figured our mistake and came up with this computation: .003/.117257= 0.0255. It basically means that we had 2% margin of error. Indeed, the computer measured 55cm (we had to convert from meters to centimeters in order to compare); and we had sensibly 57cm.

This made me curious about the programming and all the aspects of it i still don’t understand; and I will keep on looking into it to satisfy that awaken curiosity.

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Smart Grid: one more step towards the future!

First of all, let me start of by stressing the fact that the U.S electricity delivery system is really something to be proud of. Many other countries around the world aren’t at that level yet. Being an international student, believe me I know! Now back to being objective, the idea of reinventing the U.S energy grid is a plan that should be implemented. Smarter use can indeed be done with electric grids.

“Smart grid” generally refers to a class of technology people use to bring utility electricity delivery systems into the 21st century, using computer-based remote control and automation.These systems are made possible by two-way communication technology and computer processing that has been used for decades in other industries. They are beginning to be used on electricity networks, from the power plants and wind farms all the way to the consumers of electricity in homes and businesses.

To make it easier to grasp the idea, they used this analogy with smart phone (in an article on www.energy.gov.) that basically says:”in the way that a “smart” phone these days means a phone with a computer in it, smart grid means “computerizing” the electric utility grid”. 

Once again, it’s not only about progress, but more about saving energy and as a result, our planet Earth! Smaller grids across the country will help reduce the emission of CO2. On another sub-topic, you may have seen the article ” Could energy innovation create a “green bubble”? ” on www.npr.org. It talks about encouraging the development of more renewable sources of energy like wind and solar and how funding right now is a problem for renewable energy developers. Most likely because of other important issues. Well, in my humble opinion, this conversion needs to be made a priority. We are on the edge of destruction; climate change does certainly not seem to be reversible. Bottom line is, let’s focus on our planet first, then we can think about setting a priority on the purchase of renewable energy by the electric utilities, such that the continued consumption of coal, oil and gas to produce electricity and what not. Seriously, it’s like putting our effort on trying to renovate our apartment while our building is on fire…My final comment is:

Half of Germany once ran on Solar power alone!

Reading about articles on German renewable energy turned out to be quite interesting, unexpectedly. Few countries in Europe can have as great an impact on energy policy as Germany. “Its large size and strategic location make it a critical component of the region’s energy markets – as a result, sound energy policies and strong energy market design are a necessity” says the article on www.IEA.org. The country continues to make a lot of progress.

Germany has reformed it’s electricity, is meeting key climate and environmental target, is also bringing energy, efficiency to the world’s agenda. Although work remains to be done about German energy policy, half of the country was once powered by electricity from solar plants.

“German solar power plants produced a world record 22 gigawatts of electricity – equal to 20 nuclear power stations at full capacity – through the midday hours of Friday and Saturday, the head of a renewable energy think tank has said … Norbert Allnoch, director of the Institute of the Renewable Energy Industry in Muenster, said the 22 gigawatts of solar power fed into the national grid on Saturday met nearly 50% of the nation’s midday electricity needs.”

Solar energyThat is amazing! Ground breaking! And they are proving to the world that Solar energy can be a major and also reliable source of power. And that’s exactly how much great things can happen when people, government and citizens, take their heart and soul to get a bit more clean and pollution free.

You should be aware of little things! Like switching your oven plate off 30 minutes earlier and use the remaining heat stored in the plate can allow you to reheat a bit longer. That is reducing power consumption, is it not?

I love to see a government and it’s people show commitment to a great cause. Costs and lack of skills do not discourage them; and the results are there for all to see! Way to go Germans!

 

References: www.IEA.org

                      www.thebreakthrough.com

                      www.Solarenergy.com