Solar without the Sun

Overview

Objectives/Goals Can fluorescent black lights be used with a solar panel to produce electricity without the sun? Methods/Materials 1. Mount three 18 inch black lights on the top of a wooden box. Plug the lights into a power strip. 2. Put a solar panel under the box so the lights can shine on it. Attach a volt/amp meter to the solar panel. 3. Measure the volts and amps produced when the panel is put under one, two, and three lights. 4. Set the solar panel out in the sun and measure colts and amps produced. 5. Repeat steps 2-4 two more times. Results The UV rays produced by the black lights cause the solar panel to produce more electricity under one single light than under the sun. The electricity produced by the solar panel increased with each additional light. Conclusions/Discussion Black lights can be used to produce electricity with a solar panel, the only problem is that the electricity produced is not more that the electricity used to power the lights in the first place. If it were possible to produce more electricity with the panel than is used by the lights than this would be an ideal method to produce electricity in places like Alaska where there is no sun for several months out of the year.

Competition history

• CSEF 2009 Earth & Environment (Senior Division Only) · Entry S0833

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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