As energy becomes more and more expensive, and the movement toward green energy expands, many people are turning to solar energy. During class, we set out to find out what various factors can do to affect the voltage level being put out by the solar panels. The two variables that we tested were the distance between our light source and the solar panel, and how color affects the amount of voltage being produced by the solar panel.
Materials:
- Flashlight
- Solar Panel
- NXT Device
- Cable to connect panel to NXT
- Labview Program to measure voltage
First, we experimented with the distance between the light source and the solar panel. Below you can find a table detailing the distance and the voltage produced
1) 0 cm 0.451039
2) 10 cm 0.420247
The above results show that the closer the light source is to the solar panel, the more voltage will be produced.
We also tested the relationship between color of light and the amount of voltage produced. Below you can find a table detailing the color of light and the voltage produced.
Color Voltage
1) Blue 0.443341
2) Purple 0.438209
3) Orange 0.415436
It is clear using the data above that the lighter the color, the higher the voltage. When there is no filter, the voltage is the highest and it decreases as the color darkens. This experiment shows that the success of a solar panel is all relative to its location. Placing the solar panel in an area with high levels of sunlight will produce the most voltage while hiding a panel in a dark area will be pointless. 4) No Filter 0.451039
In real life, is there any application of the color filters while using solar energy ?