Earth Sciences

FCJJ 37 - Renewable Energy Science Kit

Lab HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT GUIDE

Green Power Grid

Goals
ᄏᄏ Understand how different renewable energy sources work
ᄏᄏ Combine them to make a smart energy grid
ᄏᄏ Make calculations based on data

Background
The wind and the Sun have been sources of energy hydrogen and oxygen to generate an electric current
for humans since ancient times. We’ve relied on the and only produces water as a byproduct. Solar and
Sun to grow our crops and the wind to power our wind energy can be used to split water into hydrogen
sailing ships for thousands of years. But ancient and oxygen, and those gases can be recombined by
farmers and mariners alike knew that the Sun doesn’t the fuel cell. The hydrogen becomes a way to store
always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow. To the extra electrical energy.
this day, farmers plant their crops at certain times of
year so that they can receive the optimal amount of The electrical grid that provides power to all the
sunlight. And becalmed sailors, trapped in windless homes and businesses around the country depends
seas for days or sometimes months at a time, would on constant power being available, so a technology
run the risk of running out of food and fresh water. that can store excess power and make it available at
times of high demand would be useful for any power
Today we can use sunlight and wind to generate source, but it’s especially needed when the source is
electricity with solar panels and wind turbines, but as intermittent as solar or wind.
we’re limited by the same reliability issues that
troubled our ancestors. What do we do when the Would this technique work well with both wind
sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing? If there and solar power? Are there any advantages to one
was a way to store excess energy at times when combination over the other, or is there a combination
sunlight or wind were strong, that stored energy we’re not considering that could work better?
could be used when a solar panel or wind turbine
wasn’t generating as much electricity. In this activity, we will generate electricity with wind,
solar, and fuel cell power to determine if a hydrogen
Modern science has developed a possible solution energy storage system works better with a solar or
in the hydrogen fuel cell, a device that combines wind power source.

Fuel Cell and Wind Procedure:

1. Look at the three different types of blades available (labeled A, B, and C). How are they similar? How are
they different? Discuss with your group which type of blade you think would work best with your turbine
and record your observations below.

2. Select the type and number of blades you want to test. Why do you want to test this type of blade first? Do
you think it will be better or worse than the other types?

3. Check that the blades are in the same position using the three notches near the white bases of the blades.
Rotate the individual blades if needed to get all the blades into the same position. Would your turbine still
work if the blades were in different positions?

Copyright © All Rights Reserved to Horizon Educational Group

www.horizoncurriculum.com
 Earth Sciences
FCJJ 37 - Renewable Energy Science Kit
Lab HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT GUIDE

Green Power Grid

4. Insert the blades into the Rotor Base and put the Blade Holder and the Blade Assembly Lock, then attach
the Blade Unit to the metal shaft of the turbine. Can your blades be positioned backwards? How do you
know if there’s a “right way” for a blade to be positioned?

5. Now you’re ready to use the electricity from the wind turbine to generate hydrogen gas using the electrolyzer.
The electrolyzer is the blue square with “H2” and “O2” printed on either side. What do you think will happen
if you connect it to a source of electricity like the wind turbine?

6. Your electrolyzer is also a hydrogen fuel cell that can generate electricity from hydrogen and oxygen. It
has two small tubes attached to it. Is there anywhere else on the fuel cell that you could attach the longer
tubes?

7. Look at the remaining pieces of your kit. If the fuel cell splits water into hydrogen and oxygen gases, what
could you use to trap the gases so they don’t float away?

8. Connect the tubes of your fuel cell so that you can trap the gases. To generate hydrogen, you’ll need to
supply an electric current from the wind turbine.

9. Turn on the fan and position it in front of the turbine. It will work best if you keep the fan close to the
turbine and line up the center of the fan with the center of the turbine. Why would changing the position
of the fan affect the wind hitting the turbine?

10. Connect the turbine to the fuel cell by using the red and black wires. Record your observations in the Data
Table below: Did the fuel cell start producing hydrogen and oxygen gas? How do you know?

11. If H2 tank fills with hydrogen, disconnect the turbine and use the fuel cell to power the motor or LEDs. If
the H2 tank doesn’t have any gas, proceed to the next step. Record your observations below.

12. Discuss what you observed with your group and discuss what you want to change to try and get the turbine
to produce more electricity: the number of blades, the angle of the blades, the type of blades, or some
combination of those.

13. Disassemble your wind turbine and reassemble it with as many changes as you can think of, then reconnect
it to the fuel cell. Record your observations in the Data Table below.

Observations

Copyright © All Rights Reserved to Horizon Educational Group

www.horizoncurriculum.com
 Earth Sciences
FCJJ 37 - Renewable Energy Science Kit
Lab HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT GUIDE

Green Power Grid

Data Table:

H2 gas?
Blade Type (A, B, C): Number of Blades: Blade Angle (6°, 28°, 56°): Other Observations:
(Y/N):

Fuel Cell and Wind Experimentation:

1. Based on your data from the previous experiment, keep the angles of the blades the same and try different
numbers of different types of blades to see which works best. Record your observations below:

Number of Each Type of Blade: H2 gas? (Y/N): Other Observations:

What combination worked best?

Copyright © All Rights Reserved to Horizon Educational Group

www.horizoncurriculum.com
 Earth Sciences
FCJJ 37 - Renewable Energy Science Kit
Lab HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT GUIDE

Green Power Grid

2. If you used a combination of different types of blades, try changing the arrangement of the blades (A, B, A,
B or A, A, B, B, for example) to try and get the rotor to turn faster. If your rotor spun fastest with only one
type of blade, you can skip this experiment.

Blade Order: H2 Gas? (Y/N): Other Observations:

What arrangement worked best?

3. What’s the farthest distance you can move your fan and still generate hydrogen gas? Use your ruler to
measure how far your fan is from your turbine blades. Try different arrangements to see if you can get the
turbine to work at even farther distances.

Blade Type Number of Blade Angle Distance H2 Gas?

Other Observations:
(A, B, C): Blades: (6°, 28°, 56°): (cm): (Y/N):

Copyright © All Rights Reserved to Horizon Educational Group

www.horizoncurriculum.com
 Earth Sciences
FCJJ 37 - Renewable Energy Science Kit
Lab HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT GUIDE

Green Power Grid

4. What’s the fastest speed you can fill the H2 tank? Using your best configurations according to your previous
data, see how long it takes to fill your tank. Record your observations below:

Blade Type Number of Blade Angle

Time (sec): Other Observations:
(A, B, C): Blades: (6°, 28°, 56°):

Fuel Cell and Solar Procedure:

1. Now you’ll use your solar panel to power the electrolyzer in the same way that you used the wind turbine
during the last experiment. Be sure you have a light source is bright enough to generate an electric current.
2. Connect the solar panel to the electrolyzer using red and black wires, just as you connected the wind
turbine earlier. Record your observations below.

Observations

Copyright © All Rights Reserved to Horizon Educational Group

www.horizoncurriculum.com
 Earth Sciences
FCJJ 37 - Renewable Energy Science Kit
Lab HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT GUIDE

Green Power Grid

Fuel Cell and Solar Experimentation:

1. Discuss with your group how you could get your solar panel to generate more electricity to run the
electrolyzer faster. Try different approaches to see what works best. Time how long each configuration
takes to fill up the H2 tank. Record your observations below:

Trial: What You Changed: Time (sec): Other Observations:

2. Hook up your solar panel to both the LEDs and the electrolyzer using red and black wires and the circuit
board. This will simulate a smart energy grid, using electricity while also capturing excess energy as
hydrogen. Use your best configurations according to your data and see if you can get the LEDs to light up
while also generating hydrogen. Record your observations below:

Configuration: H2 Gas? (Y/N): LEDs Lit? (Y/N): Other Observations:

Copyright © All Rights Reserved to Horizon Educational Group

www.horizoncurriculum.com
 Earth Sciences
FCJJ 37 - Renewable Energy Science Kit
Lab HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT GUIDE

Green Power Grid

Measurement
For this section, you will need a multimeter or the Horizon Renewable Energy Monitor. For an introduction to
using a multimeter, click here.

1. Measure the current in amps and the voltage in volts while the wind turbine at its fastest configuration
powers the LEDs and electrolyzer. Record your answers below:

Current: _______________ A

Voltage: _____________ V

2. Measure the current in Amps and the voltage in Volts while the solar panel in its best configuration powers
the LEDs and electrolyzer. Record your answers below:

Current: _______________ A

Voltage: _____________ V

3. Power is the current times the voltage (P = IV). Based on your data, which energy source generated the
most power while running the electrolyzer and LEDs?

Copyright © All Rights Reserved to Horizon Educational Group

www.horizoncurriculum.com
 Earth Sciences
FCJJ 37 - Renewable Energy Science Kit
Lab HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT GUIDE

Green Power Grid

Analysis

1. Make a scientific claim about your electric generators.

2. What evidence do you have to back up your scientific claim?

3. What reasoning did you use to support your claim?

4. Design an experiment that would compare the output of one of the generators you tested with another
form of renewable energy. Describe your experiment below.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved to Horizon Educational Group

www.horizoncurriculum.com
 Earth Sciences
FCJJ 37 - Renewable Energy Science Kit
Lab HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT GUIDE

Green Power Grid

Conclusions

1. Based on your data, do you think that storing excess energy in hydrogen is a good way to deal with variable
energy output from wind and solar power? Explain why.

2. Do you think that wind or solar power would be a better source of renewable energy for your community?
Explain your reasoning.

3. Based on your previous answer and the data you collected, would you recommend that your community be
powered by the energy source you chose with a hydrogen fuel cell system? Why or why not?

Copyright © All Rights Reserved to Horizon Educational Group

www.horizoncurriculum.com