Alternative energy is the hot topic in the country right now as we duke it out to find out if we are going to continue with our nations enormous consumption of fossil fuels (did you know that 40% of the nations electricity is still reliant on coal?) Alternative energy is also a hot topic in the classroom, being tested in elementary and middle school classrooms across the state. It's no wonder that teachers are grappling to find materials to exemplify alternative energies, and one thing that seems to be a hot commodity in the lab is the SOLAR PANEL.
A nice, sturdy, affordable solar panel could be used to help create circuits, run motors, show energy transfer, I mean the possibilities are endless, however, when I price them they run anywhere from $16.00 to $40.00 a piece. Pretty pricey when you want to get a solar panel in every kid's hands (or at least one for every two.)
I don't know about you, but I can't seem to find an affordable supplier of solar panels for my teachers and I have looked high and low. At CAST I went from booth to booth asking vendors if anyone just sold the panel, I wasn't interested in the kit. No one could give me an answer. "Did you try ____________" (fill in the blank vendor) and then I was shuffled off to another booth.
Well this last week I think I came up with an affordable solution, although even this company told me that they were having a hard time selling the panels individually, and that is PITSCO.
Pitsco has a new affordable solar car that ranges about $16 per kit including the panel. This car is called the Sunezoon Solar Car. A pack of 30 brings the price of the car down to $12.33 per kid and they are reusable. The panels come with alligator clips which makes them easy to use for other functions as well.
I should be getting mine pretty soon, I ordered a class set. I'll let you know more when we test them out. Here is the info from Pitsco in case you are interested in this affordable solution to solar in the lab. If you know of any other bargains for solar panels, please feel free to comment on this post.
http://www.pitsco.com/SunEzoon_Solar_Car
-Lora
A nice, sturdy, affordable solar panel could be used to help create circuits, run motors, show energy transfer, I mean the possibilities are endless, however, when I price them they run anywhere from $16.00 to $40.00 a piece. Pretty pricey when you want to get a solar panel in every kid's hands (or at least one for every two.)
I don't know about you, but I can't seem to find an affordable supplier of solar panels for my teachers and I have looked high and low. At CAST I went from booth to booth asking vendors if anyone just sold the panel, I wasn't interested in the kit. No one could give me an answer. "Did you try ____________" (fill in the blank vendor) and then I was shuffled off to another booth.
Well this last week I think I came up with an affordable solution, although even this company told me that they were having a hard time selling the panels individually, and that is PITSCO.
Pitsco has a new affordable solar car that ranges about $16 per kit including the panel. This car is called the Sunezoon Solar Car. A pack of 30 brings the price of the car down to $12.33 per kid and they are reusable. The panels come with alligator clips which makes them easy to use for other functions as well.
I should be getting mine pretty soon, I ordered a class set. I'll let you know more when we test them out. Here is the info from Pitsco in case you are interested in this affordable solution to solar in the lab. If you know of any other bargains for solar panels, please feel free to comment on this post.
http://www.pitsco.com/SunEzoon_Solar_Car
-Lora