Simulating Environmental Effects on Solar Panels
Sustainability and Renewable Energy- Grade:
- 12
- Teacher:
- Rashmitha Kasaragod Pallath
The purpose of this project is to understand and compare how different environmental conditions, such as shade, reflective foil, and surface powder, affect the electrical power output of small 6W and 20W solar panels. Voltage and current were recorded with a digital multimeter across three trials for each condition. Power was calculated using the equation P = V × I. The results show that the solar panels maintained about the same voltage in all conditions, but current largely varied. Clean panels in direct sunlight produced the highest power output, while shade and powder caused major reductions. Foil had a slight but noticeable effect by increasing the amount of light reaching the panels, even in shady conditions. These findings suggest that current—and therefore power—is highly dependent on light availability, even though the panel’s voltage stays about the same in all conditions. This experiment shows how environmental conditions can affect solar panel performance in real-world situations
The clear articulation of the research question, combined with the thoughtful experimental design and detailed data collection, makes the findings compelling and meaningful.
Overall, this is a strong project that effectively balances rigor with creativity. Great job! Keep up the excellent work and continue refining your experimental techniques.
Your presentation was clear and easy to follow, with smooth transitions and excellent visuals. The amount of data you collected really shows your effort and commitment. I hope you both continue using your potential in science. Excellent work!