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1 | Artifcact Name | Artifact Type (Journal, TedTalk, Manual, etc.) | Link | What is the artifact about? | Why is this important to me? | Key vocabulary/terms | Essential Questions | ||
2 | 5 Reasons to Install Solar Panels Today | Video | https://youtu.be/j2pNv2DE64Q | Benefits of solar panels according to National Grid | Understand the basics of solar panels and get a company's insight on them | - 0 emmissions: doesn't produce any greenhouse gases that would sit in our atmosphere, unlike companies that we pay to produce electricity | Do the benefits of utlizling solar panels outweigh the harms that they may pose on the environment due to inefficient production? | ||
3 | 100% Renewable Energy: You can do it | TedTalk | https://www.ted.com/talks/gordian_raacke_100_renewable_energy_you_can_do_it?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare | Importance of utilizing renewable energy according to Gordian Raacke, | Hear perspectives on renewable energy and its benefits | - Greenhouse gases: gases in the atmosphere that absorb heat instead of emitting them out of our planet --> rising temperatures on Earth - Fossil fuels: a natural fuel such as coal or gas, formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms | Why is utilizing solar energy and renewable sources so vital to our world in the current shape of its climate? | ||
4 | Pros and Cons of Solar Energy What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages? | Blog | https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2014/08/5-advantages-and-5-disadvantages-of-solar-energy | Pros and cons of using solar energy from an energy and heat company | - Get insight on disadvantages and advantages, so I can argue both ways | - Inverter: Converts direct current electricity (generated by panels) to alternating current electricity (used by electrical grid) - Renewable energy source: solar energy is this | |||
5 | Solar Panels Are Starting to Die, Leaving Behind Toxic Trash | Article | https://www.wired.com/story/solar-panels-are-starting-to-die-leaving-behind-toxic-trash/#:~:text=Solar%20panels%20are%20composed%20of,also%20creates%20new%20environmental%20hazards. | The disadvantages of solar panels presented by a website that specializes in scientific research | I need to understand both sides of the argument because there are downsides to utlizing solar panels as well. It's important to see that although they seem environmentally friendly, they're not necessarily doing wonders for other aspects of the Earth. | - Photovoltaic: conversion of light into electricity using semiconducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect - Landfill: a dump- place for disposing of waste material | |||
6 | Solar Explained: Solar Energy and the Environment | Article | https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/solar/solar-energy-and-the-environment.php#:~:text=Solar%20energy%20systems%2Fpower%20plants,air%20pollution%20or%20greenhouse%20gases.&text=Some%20solar%20thermal%20systems%20use,of%20these%20types%20of%20materials. | US Energy Information Administration- Additional downsides to utlizing solar panels that go beyond how the materials are harmful | Helps me grasp a better understanding of how solar energy impacts our Earth so that I can speak more intellligently on whether or not solar panels should be implemented. | - Collector: A solar collector is an object that is used to collect energy from the sun, which it does by absorbing solar radiation and converting it into heat or electricity - Solar power tower: plant that uses sunlight to make energy, generates it for the panels whether or not the sun is is shining | |||
7 | Researchers find benefits of solar photovaltaics outweigh costs | Scientific Research | https://news.mit.edu/2020/researchers-find-solar-photovoltaics-benefits-outweigh-costs-0623#:~:text=Over%20a%20seven%2Dyear%20period,the%20cost%20of%20PV%20systems. | According to MIT researchers, the benefits of using solar energy and solar panels outweigh the harms that the panels might create. | Confirm that I should go through with my project and continue pushing to implement solar energy as a new feature of West Elementary School | - market, health, and climate benefits | |||
8 | How do solar panels work? | Video | https://youtu.be/xKxrkht7CpY | TedED that explains how exactly solar panels work | A big part of my capstone research project is arguing how solar panels benefit us and why they should be put onto the new West Elementary School. If I don't understand how that works, then my argument is weakened along with my credibility | - N and P type silicon: In n-type silicon, the electrons have a negative charge, hence the name n-type. In p-type silicon, the effect of a positive charge is created in the absence of an electron, hence the name p-type | |||
9 | Net Zero Energy Buildings: International Projects of Carbon Neutrality in Buildings | Book | https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/aps1-ebooks/reader.action?docID=1383637&query=solar+panel | Plans for net 0 emissions, including examples and plans | Demonstrates alternative examples of sustainability that companies have used in order to achieve net 0 energy | - increasing independence from energy imports - Department of Energy (DOE): making efforts to ensure that renewable sources can meet our needs | |||
10 | Solar Integration: Inverters and Grid Services Basics | Article | https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-integration-inverters-and-grid-services-basics | Basic parts of solar panels explained | Main components of solar panels that contribute to my underestanding of these projects and articles | - Inverter: Converts direct current electricity (generated by panels) to alternating current electricity (used by electrical grid) | |||
11 | Renewable energy explained | Independent Study | https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/renewable-sources/ | Why using renewable sources is so important | I understand that utilizing renewable energy is extremely important in finding solutions to climate change, but I don't know enough so that I can intelligently speak on multiple, specific points | - Renewable energy source: energy taken from sources that are naturally replenishing | |||
12 | What is sustainability? | Video | https://www.sustain.ucla.edu/what-is-sustainability/ | Sustainability: background on why this project is important and what solar panels are working to do | Emphasizes the importance of sustainable practices and why we need to change things like electricity production. Shows how this is a timely matter, needs to be done as soon as possible | - Sustainability: “the integration of environmental health, social equity and economic vitality in order to create thriving, healthy, diverse and resilient communities for this generation and generations to come” | |||
13 | Global Climate Change: What is it? | Website | https://climate.nasa.gov/ | What exactly is climate change and why is it a concern | From a popular company (people are more likely to rely on their information) and demonstrates many important aspects of why people should care about climate change | - CO2 measures - Temperature increase - Arctic ice decrease - Rising sea levels | |||
14 | What the World Will Look Like in 2050 If We Don't Cut Carbon Emmissions in Half | Journal | https://time.com/5824295/climate-change-future-possibilities/ | If we don't acknowledge and stop climate change/global warming... | Communicates and simplifies important points as to why people should be concerned about climate change | ||||
15 | What is a Power Purchase Agreement? | Article | https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/financing-navigator/option/power-purchase-agreement#:~:text=A%20Power%20Purchase%20Agreement%20(PPA,output%20for%20a%20predetermined%20period. | How to pay for solar panels with a Power Purchase Agreement | One of the biggest concerns in talking about solar panels is how they will be paid for, so this offers one answer to that | Power Purchase Agreement: arrangement in which a third-party developer installs, owns, and operates an energy system on a customer’s property. | |||
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