Remote Combined Solar and Wind Renewable Energy Power Grid

Team: 82

School: Manzano High

Area of Science: Electrical Engineering

Interim: In today’s world, electrical power production based on traditional fossil fuels damages the environment and has become very expensive. All efforts to switch power production to renewable and clean energy sources should be undertaken.

We want to write a computer program to simulate a solar and wind-based renewable energy power grid for a remote building or lab station, possibly in a desert, on an island or in an arctic environment. This would be useful in assisting a facility or lab station to conserve and protect the environment and natural resources and, most likely, to save money.

We want to develop the mathematical and physics equations for an electrical power grid with its many functions -- voltage, current, power, battery storage, etc., for a system that contains both a photovoltaic component and a wind energy component. Then, we want to convert our mathematical model into a C++ computer program that will simulate and monitor the power grid.

During fall 2009, in our Manzano High School class, Pre-Engineering Electronics, we learned and solved problems for the basic physics topics of velocity, force, work, power, electric charge, electric fields, DC voltage, DC current, resistance, Ohms Law, DC series and parallel circuits, and the power formula (P = I V). Then we spent the past two months assembling and programming a mini-robot with Basic computer programs to make the robot do a variety of maneuver on a flat surface. In doing so, we learned some Basic programming techniques with variables, counter, for loops, etc.

During January/February, we will study the physics of AC electricity; generators, motors and transformations from DC to AC current. We will have a guest speaker from the NM Solar Energy Association present how to set up a photo-voltaic system on a building, with some of the electrical power to run real-time lights, computers, communications, heaters, refrigerators, etc. and the rest of the power used to charge batteries for night time. In a similar manner, we will research how to harness wind energy with some of the electrical power used to run real-time devices and the rest of the power used to charge batteries for night time. Then we will develop the mathematical model for our remote solar and wind-based renewable energy power grid.

Then our sponsor teacher will teach us C++ programming to convert our mathematical model for a dual-power system based on solar and wind energy into a C++ computer program that will simulate and monitor the power grid.

References:
Hartranft, Michael (2009) “Windy Business”, Albuquerque Journal, 2009-Oct-25
Linthicum, Leslie (2007) “Power to the People”, Albuquerque Journal, 2007-Feb-7
Ogdahl, Monte “Seeing is Believing Solar Works”, NM Solar Energy Association
Thompson, Jim (2009) “Savings from the Sun”, Albuquerque Journal, 2009-Aug 9
http://nmsea.org/Curriculum/7_12/PV/explore_pv.htm , “Exploring Photovoltaics”,
NM Solar Energy Association
Zitzewitz, et al, (2005), Physics: Principles and Problems, Glencoe, Chap 1-11; 20-24

Team Members: Hathaweh Bassett, Hung Nguyen
Sponsoring Teacher: Steve Schum

Team Members:

  Hung Nguyen
  Hathaweh Bassett

Sponsoring Teacher: Stephen Schum

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