Explorit Museum Davis, CA
Story input provided by The Explorit Museum staff
A “solar tree” has taken root in the backyard of Explorit’s Mace Park Branch, and like a real tree, it soaks up the sunshine. Then it converts that energy to electricity for the science center’s use. The owls, and students that visit Explorit Museum are taking notice (burrowing owl’s occupy a large field next to the museum).
Explorit’s new solar panels are installed together in what is called “an array.” Each array generates electricity for the building to which it is attached. Our array provides electricity to our building. PG&E is now finishing up its first 100 k-12 schools and PG&E is also putting solar arrays on other public buildings like the Oakland Zoo and the Chabot Space and Science Center, the LGBT Center and Project Open Hand in San Francisco, as well as the San Francisco Food Bank and of course our own Explorit science museum.
“The PG&E Solar Schools Program has been installing free-standing solar panels at schools all over its service territory. Explorit was one the first science museums invited to participate,” explains Suzanne Ullensvang, former executive director of Explorit and the point person for the project. “We originally contacted PG&E about various energy saving incentives and programs, such as solar panels and their Savings by Design program for new construction.”
PG&E donated the system and its installation to Explorit free of charge as part of a grant program for schools and museums. Data collected by each array is made available on a computer kiosk so school children and other Explorit visitors can learn about solar energy.
Solar energy is a renewable energy source that will help us be less dependent on fossil fuel. Solar panels help reduce the energy impact on the environment. They can produce surplus power for others and reduce energy demand on the California grid. Based on a very rough estimate, Explorit’s solar array will produce about 3 percent of the energy used to operate the main building at the facility on Fifth street.
“In addition to the array of panels and installation, which was provided at no cost, PG&E also provided a computer kiosk installed by Solar City, which students at the site can use to access information on the Web. So in addition to generating electricity, which saves on energy costs for Explorit, the energy collected can be monitored. Kids at schools — and now museums — all over the country can compare how much energy is being collected in many different spots across the United States. On any given day and at any given time comparisons can be made between an array of panels in Seattle versus a panel in San Diego and on any of the solar school projects around the PG&E service territory. Solar trends can be observed over a whole season or year. Students can ask how sunny is it in Tucson today? Which panel generated the most electricity in September?” Ullensvang said.
According to Explorit’s program director, Megan Chiosso, the array will be an important component of Explorit’s nature-related exhibits and activities at the Mace Park Branch. It also complements the solar calendar in Mace Ranch Park, part of Sam Tubiolo’s art installation of 2006.
Some engaging concepts for a variety of outdoor learning environments have already been developed for the Mace Ranch site, including a weather station. Explorit is hoping to integrate the solar panel activities as part of its Nature Labs, which involve students in in-depth investigations of natural processes. The system might be incorporated into an activity on how energy from the sun is linked to the start of the energy cycle for plants and animals.
PG&E also provides an extensive set of curricula that Explorit hopes to use as part of the summer camp programs, and as the basis for occasional Family Explorations programs.
According to Glen Kizer of the Foundation for Environmental Education, who is working in cooperation with PG&E to include 100 new solar schools in Northern California, the project is about education first and electricity generation second.
“It does produce power, but the main point that PG&E is trying to make is about learning. Everyone has driven by and seen solar panels and some people have them on their offices, but it is important for people, young and old, to really understand the science and math of solar electricity,” Kizer explained. “This 1-kilowatt system will not produce a large percentage of the electricity used by Explorit, but will help everyone see how much electricity this system produces and they can do the math to see how much it would take to supply power to their homes and businesses… The panels and accompanying materials provide a fixed reference point by which a lot can be learned about solar electricity in the Davis area and there are lots of exercises for kids to help them improve their math and science skills,” Kizer said.
Public reaction to the project has been fantastic and the demand is growing every day Kizer said. Hundreds more schools have or will have systems installed across the country and around the world, including one in England, two in Haiti, and 8 in Ecuador.
When students interact with the panel and kiosk the basic things Kizer hopes they learn are that solar panels produce electricity the way a light bulb produces light energy.
“We all know a 40 watt bulb produces 40 watts of light energy. Now the students will be able to learn what a 1-kilowatt per hour PV system will produce in electricity in an hour of sunlight. Today they know what light bulb to buy. Later they will understand which PV system to buy.”
