Solar Energy Science Fair Projects

John Canivan
www.jc-solarhomes.com
Visiting Expert

Energy from sunlight has fascinated me from an early age. Pens were easy to melt with grandmother's magnifying glass. The boys in grammar school often asked me why my pens looked funny, but when I tried to explain they lost interest.

In Junior high school I designed and built a conceptual model of a solar power generator that used grandma’s magnifying glass. The lens tracked the sun's position with a crank shaft made from a curtain rod that was attached to a string that attached to both sides of the lens suspended in space with steel supports made from hacksaw blades. The focal point of the lens was a pipe cap. Water was fed into the cap with a copper tube, a little at a time from a V8 can.

I figured a small amount of water would boil faster than a large amount of water and I had hoped that this device would gain application in the production of power. Actually the design concept is used in modern vaporizers. You might be using a vaporizer like this in the winter when the air is dry. I wonder if my silly project influenced someone to design a better vaporizer.

Anyhow, my science teacher liked the thing and couldn’t understand why I didn’t win an award at the science fair. Hope you do better with your project.

Solar Energy Science Fair Projects
John Canivan’s BIO

My college experience during the 60’s was beneficial toward gaining a better understanding of chemistry, physics and biology.

During the 20 years that it took me to complete my college education and teaching, I worked in the Plastic Products Laboratory of RC Hooker, cut lawns, sold encyclopedias, pruned trees, built and repaired boats, installed driveways, delivered flowers, built welding transformers, delivered furniture, repaired furniture, made and sold furniture, installed roofs, drove a dump truck, built a few houses and generally regretted not taking over my father's hardware business.

Who knew that this would prepare me for my future career, having a web site about solar homes, and writing this article on solar energy science fair projects!

After five years of teaching high school science, I realized that teaching was not my calling.

Since 1980 I have been a self-employed home improvement contractor and grabbed what ever work came my way: dry walling, extensions, dormers, house jacking, block work, foundations, walls, floors, ceilings, roofs, doors, windows, kitchens and bathrooms.

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to design and build a few solar greenhouses, collectors and solar hot water systems along the way. I also transformed basements, attics and garages into energy efficient living spaces. Wow! Isn't my work like doing solar energy science fair projects!!!

Solar Science Fair Projects Ideas

Many things can be done to improve the energy efficiency of drafty, uninsulated dwellings, but a real challenge involves integrating a solar hot water heating system with power generating (is this the correct word?). An economy based on solar energy could be a great topic for solar energy science fair projects.

Imagine a self-sufficient solar community that adds value to the world that we live in. If you can imagine a solar community you can probably design an illustrative model and also have an influence on everyone who sees it.

Your science fair project is about more than awards. It's about finding out what's important to you and sharing your discoveries with the rest of the world. Solar Thermal Energy just happens to be a topic that I'm interested in. How about you? What do you think about solar energy science fair projects?

Confucius says: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

Are you ready to get started on your Science Fair Project today?
www.jc-solarhomes.com
John Canivan

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