Amping Up Photovoltaic Cells Science Fair Projects

Solar Energy

Solar energy is a hot topic right now. When designing a project try to look for a new approach so your project will stand out.

Power House Experiments Science Kit	SCG-125 Snap Circuits Green Alternative Energy	Solar Cars & Vehicles Experiment Kits	Solar Energy Science Fair Projects Kits
Age 12 and up	Ages 10 and up	Grades 3rd thru 12th	All ages

Objectives/Goals

My objective was to determine which reflective materials are the most effective in amplifying the energy output of a photovoltaic cell.

Methods/Materials

Eleven different reflective materials were tested by positioning them to reflect direct sunlight onto a solar cell. The solar cell was connected to a digital voltmeter. Direct sunlight on the solar cell was used as the experimental control. Each material was tested at the same time of the day, twelve inches away from the solar cell and at the same angle to keep the results uniform. The voltage for each material was recorded in volts. All of the materials were tested three times a day on three different days. The results were all averaged.

Results

Out of the 11 materials I used, the Mylar and the mirror consistently tested higher than the other materials and each increased the average energy output by 2.56%. All of the metallic materials performed with a significantly higher reading than the nonmetallic materials. The glass tile had no effect.

Conclusions/Discussion

I conclude that the best materials to use for increasing the energy output of a photovoltaic cell are mirrors and Mylar. I can also conclude that metals are good reflectors and could also be used to increase solar energy. 3rd party contributor