Solar/Geothermal Energy By: Levi, Teah, Josh and Hannah L. Solar energy is radiant energy emitted by the sun that is very difficult to harness. 30% of solar radiation that enters the earth's atmosphere is reflected back into space. Solar panels are helping the economy by reducing electricity costs and providing an alternative to gas for transportation. Products that use solar energy include solar chargers, backpacks, phones, trash cans, cookers, dryers, fans, keyboards, streetlights, and flashlights. Harnessing solar energy requires placing solar panels in locations like roofs where they can absorb the most sunlight. The first solar cells were created in 1889 by Charles Fritts.

1. Solar/GeothermalSolar/Geothermal
EnergyEnergy
By: Levi, Teah, Josh and Hannah L.By: Levi, Teah, Josh and Hannah L.

2. Introduction: Solar Energy! Definition (noun) Radiant energy
emitted by the sun. Earth receives 174 petawatts of solar
radiation on the upper atmosphere, but 30% of that is
reflected back into space, and the part that does enter earth’s
atmosphere is absorbed by clouds, land, and oceans. Only a
very small percentage of the energy that enters earth’s
atmosphere is absorbed by solar panels. Therefore, it is VERY,
VERY hard to harness solar energy!
Introduction

3. Map
Solar panels are helping BC
economically because with the use of
them, we are reducing the charge of
electricity to it’s minimum, and with
solar powered cars we are reducing the
use of gas. For the people who have
these cars, this completely eliminates
the cost of gas for solar-powered cars.
So solar energy is beneficial to the
economy in two ways, as an alternative
fuel, and an alternative electricity
source.
Purple indicates solar farms

4. products
Solar Charger Solar backpack Solar Cellphone
Solar power trashcan Solar cooker Solar Dryer

5. Products
Solar Fan Solar Keyboard
Solar Streetlight Solar Flashlight

6. Environmental Impacts #1

7. Sustainability
• The aboriginal people used their resources very wisely and would be considered
sustainable. Being sustainable means only using resources when we actually need
them and not wasting any part of the resource. For example the Aboriginals would use
the whole Moose and not just the meat. They would use the fur for clothing, the hide
for shelter and the bones and antlers for tools and decorations. Another example
would be not over fishing. This means that the aboriginals would catch one fish at a
time and when they wanted more they would go back and get some more.
• Today we are not sustainable. This means that we take more then we need and we
don’t use all parts of the animal. For example we over fish so every year there will be
less and less fish in the ocean. We also cut down too many trees and we don’t always
use all parts of the trees.
• In the future if we are not sustainable there will not be enough resources for people in
the next few generations. Some ways that we can be sustainable is we can make more
serious laws about taking less fish. Nowadays we take a lot of oil out of the ocean and
it ends up spilling and killing animals so we should only take small bits at a time.

8. Why we need to be
sustainable
• We use many resources in our daily lives. Water to drink and to
wash your hands with, wooden chairs and desks, paper to write on
and create art projects on, and many more. We don’t think about
how many resources we use up every day, or how the things we use
daily are connected to the environment. Our resources are slowly
draining away, non-renewable, and renewable. There gets to be a
point when you cut down so many trees, that you can’t plant more.
Or when we use up so much of Earth’s water, that the water cycle
can no longer work. In our world today, very few people actually
take the time to be sustainable, but we all need to be. Sustainability
is very important because these are the only resources we, and
future generations are going to have! We can start being sustainable
by using less of things, and recycling. For instance, reducing the
amount of paper you use, like using both sides of a piece or more
scrap paper. Or, not keeping the tap on while you brush your teeth,
and taking shorter showers. We have to join the people who are
being sustainable, and work together as a whole to save Earth’s
resources for future generations and ourselves.

9. How we get Solar Energy
• Solar panels are produced in factories for use in power plants,
some houses, and some other household appliances. To
harvest solar energy, we must place these panels in a good
place, where they can absorb the greatest amount of solar
energy possible, and then convert it to power. The best place
for that, on a building, would be on the roof. The roof of a
building would absorb the most solar energy, because it has
almost nothing foreshadowing it. But, a south facing roof
would be even better because it would get the most direct
sunlight. Solar energy is generated by photovoltaic cells, or
solar cells. Solar panels are made up of these cells. The cells
convert the solar energy to solar power, to power many
things. The first solar cells were created in 1889, by inventor
Charles Fritts. The solar power, created by these cells is then
transmitted into a device, or to a house, to power it.

10. Quiz
• Solar energy is energy from what?
What percentage of solar radiation is reflected back to space?
(A) 45%
(B) 30%
(C) 75%
(D) 10%
What does Geo Thermal mean?
Why is it hard to harness solar energy?
Why is solar energy a better use of power?
What are the two ways that solar energy is beneficial to the economy?
Where is the best place to install solar panels on a building?
• in the garden
• a south facing roof
• a north facing roof
• in a window
In what year were the first solar cells created?
(A) 1900
(B) 1989
(C) 1889
• 1967
Who created the first solar cells?
• Alexander Graham Bell
(A) Albert Einstein
(B) Charles Fritts
(C) William Brown
What are two names for the cells that make up a solar panels?

11. Bibliography
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Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 11 June 2013.
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Gibson, Diane. Solar Power. Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media, 2002. Print.
Gibson, Diane. Geothermal Power. Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media, 2002. Print.

12. Video