Renewable energy · Mastery
Master a solar site audit
Map where useful sunlight lasts.
Read the instructions without joining. A signed-in profile lets you save private observations and learning progress.
Before you begin
Gather your supplies
- Two safe outdoor observation points
- Clock or phone timer
- Notebook, compass app optional and weather notes
Use what you have. Purchases are optional and do not affect learning rewards.
Care and safety
Stay at ground level in a safe, permitted area. Never climb a roof or look directly at the sun.
Prerequisite
This activity builds on Hold the heat. Read it first and use your earlier observations when working through this activity.
The experiment
Solar resource depends on time, orientation, weather and shade. A site audit connects energy capture and retention to a practical location decision.
- Choose two possible solar-use locations. Sketch nearby buildings, trees and other sources of shade without entering roofs or restricted areas.
- Observe both sites at three or more matched times. Record whether each is in direct sun and the minutes of direct sun between checks.
- Repeat on a second day at least 24 hours later. Record clouds and any moving or seasonal shade limitations.
- Combine your solar-heat, insulation and site evidence into a recommendation. State what your short audit cannot predict about other seasons.
Background reference: U.S. Department of Energy
These instructions are a suggested learning experiment from Seth The Evil. The reference explains the background; it does not certify this experiment or guarantee a result.
Opening the workspace does not start an activity or save a record. You choose when to start and what observations to save.