Solar energy

Look at the Flash map of Samsø. Find the northernmost power station on the island. This is the only power station utilising solar energy. By clicking on the power station, you can read about it and see the local energy transport.
Click here to open the Flash map of Samsø.

Samsø Energy Academy shows online solar production. Here you can – for a period – follow the heating production from solar energy on Samsø. Samsø has more hours of sunshine than the average for Denmark.
Click here to follow the production from Samsø Energy Academy.

On the website for Danmarks Meteorologiske Institut, Denmark’s Meteorological Institute, you can see the weather forecast for the region in Denmark where Samsø is situated.
Click here to see the weather forecast for the region where Samsø is located.

Would you be able to have the same production with the hours of sunshine that there are in your region and, if applicable, what is the situation in the region of the class you are cooperating with?

Build a solar water heater:

Download science activity sheets (PDF file) from the British BERR.
Click here to download the science activity sheets.

Read about solar water heating on page 13, carry out the experiment, and see the principles of solar heating.

Then read “Build a solar water heater” on page 23, and build a solar water heater after the same principle as the one on Samsø.

Answer questions and explain the energy source

On the Canadian Renewable Energy Project Kit on solar energy, there are also construction guidelines and good background information. Answer the pupil questions at the bottom of the page.
Click here to open the Canadian Renewable Energy Project Kit on solar energy.

Does it work? And how does its function depend on the weather?
Compare your results with those of the class you are cooperating with, if applicable. Is the climate in your countries/regions suitable as a source of solar energy?