Harnessing the Sun’s Energy with Solar Panels

Automated Solar Array

Move the solar panel using the Positional Servo Motor from east to west in small increments to search for sunlight. When sufficient sunlight is detected by the Solar Sensor, have the solar panel stop in that position for as long as optimal sunlight is present.

Big Idea

In this lesson, we will learn how energy from the sun can be harnessed with solar panels to create a renewable source of energy. We’ll also discover some of the many ways solar panels are being used around the world to power all sorts of electrical devices.

Take Action!

In the ‘Take Action’ portion of this lesson, we will harness our newfound knowledge in order to create a simulated version of a real-life solar panel. Our simulated solar panel will sense and track the position of the sun in order to find the most optimal light source for power generation.

The goal of this project is to understand how solar panels work and demonstrate how a solar panel may function in real-life.

Requirements:

• 1 x Climate Action Kit
• 1 x micro:bit
• Computer with access to Microsoft MakeCode