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Solar Power is power acquired by capturing energy from the sun’s rays. The process of electricity from sunlight is the solar panel’s photovoltaic cells (photovoltaic is the process of using solar cells which changes the sun’s energy into a flow of electrons and that creates electric power) which turns the sun’s energy into direct current (DC) electricity. Then using an inverter, the DC is changed into AC (alternating current. The DC is changed to AC because AC is used much more used, is safer to be used in your home, and can be sent much longer distances. Unfortunately, solar panels are very expensive to buy and install and take up a lot of space on your house. On the plus side the power that you don’t use at the end of the day you can sell back to the grid and make money off it. Solar panels last a very long time 25-30 years and most of the time longer than that. So, the money you would spend on it is worth it in the long run because you don’t have to pay for grid electricity or very little. You should still pay for a small amount just because if you have really bad weather for a long period of time (solar panels still work in rainy or cloudy days just not as well) and so you can’t use your solar panels. You should also get power from the grid at night because storing that much power costs money and you normally don’t need that much at night anyway or anything else just to be safe. There isn’t much maintenance involved you should keep them clean by washing them a few times each year and every 10-15 years the inverter might need to be changed but over all you don’t have to do much. Solar power isn’t exactly good for the environment, but I don’t think any kind of energy is 100% pollution free. The manufacturing of solar panels is the thing that causes the pollution. The toxic materials that are used to make the solar panels, the transportation of them, and inserting them causes some pollution. The pollution of making solar panels in comparison to other types of energy like fossil fuels is nothing. Solar is one of the least polluting energy sources. The process of creating electric energy causes no pollution at all. Solar power is a renewable source of energy continues to be renewable if it isn’t broken. Solar power is an energy source we can rely on in the future and with the development of technology we can not only use them for houses and some factories, but also eventually cars and much more. We won’t have to worry about fossil fuels anymore and then eventually maybe even climate change will be a thing of the past.

Statement:

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau,

I am here to inform you about a better source of energy for the environment than fossil fuels. I think a better source of energy than fossil fuel is solar power. Solar power is much better for the environment and is a renewable energy source because it’s powered by the sun, fossil fuels are not they can run out and you constantly need more. With solar power you can power your home and causes little to almost no pollution at all. I think Canada should in solar power because it causes almost no pollution and I solar power is the future and can really help with prevention of climate change. And weather isn’t a very big problem at all solar panels are very durable they can withstand heavy snow fall, high winds, and even hail.  Solar panels also work better in cold weather than hot and still work on cloudy days just obviously not as well. I think that eventually we can even make solar panels work just fine on cloudy days to so that we can even use them on cars. Even store the solar energy better so that we can use them at night to without having it cost so much money so that all Canadians can afford it. We will continue to use solar panels for industries and houses just improve them a bit. The possibilities are endless eventually fossil fuels will be no more. That’s why Canadians need to start now so we can stop climate change at least with fossil fuels and carbon dioxide and start heading in a more environment friendly energy source.

Thank you for your time

Sincerely Serenity

Part 2:

1) What questions did you need to research in order to research your topic?

What is solar power and how does it work?

How is the energy from solar power used and stored?

What are the pros and cons of solar power?

Is the energy from solar power good for the environment?

Is the energy from solar power renewable?

Can we rely on solar power in the future?

2) What new or familiar digital tools did you try to use as you worked through this project?

The information that was familiar to me that I used was from accurate google sites, a few citation machines and pexels. The new site that I used was riverside library: gale in context. All these sites have been very helpful for finding accurate information about my topic.

3) What was the process you used to investigate the topic?

I first came up with a lot of questions and answers about solar power and what it is and then in my statement to Justin Trudeau I mentioned what you could do to make them better and that it should be a more used energy source in the future because it’s better for the environment.

4) How did you verify and cite the information you found?

I verified the information I found by checking many different websites to see if they said the same things, so I knew the information true. I copied the link for all the pictures, and I cited the websites by using an MLA format citation machine.

5) How did the process of completing this challenge go? What could you have done better?

The process took a long time to find accurate information and wording everything so that it made sense was difficult, but I liked learning about a better source of energy that could really us prevent climate change. I could have used more new digital tools and used the citation machine for the pictures too.

Sources:

“Solar Energy.” Alternative Energy, edited by K. Lee Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, and Kathleen J. Edgar, 2012. Gale In Context: Global Issues, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/OTGAYV511819160/GIC?u=43riss&sid=GIC&xid=cfcbb5f7. Accessed 6 Dec. 2019.

“Alternative and Renewable Energy.” Gale Global Issues Online Collection, Gale, 2019. Gale In Context: Global Issues, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CP3208520007/GIC?u=43riss&sid=GIC&xid=6a91b46b. Accessed 6 Dec. 2019.

“Pros and Cons of Solar Energy.” 5 Advantages and 5 Disadvantages of Solar Energy, Green match, 2 Dec. 2019, https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2014/08/5-advantages-and-5-disadvantages-of-solar-energy Accessed Dec. 8, 2019

“How Does Solar Power Work, Anyway?” The Climate Reality Project, 6 Nov. 2019, www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/how-does-solar-power-work-anyway Accessed Dec. 8, 2019

“How will solar energy be used 20 years from now?” Sepco Electric Power Company: Kyle Pennell, 20 Feb. 2018. https://www.sepco-solarlighting.com/blog/how-will-solar-energy-be-used-20-years-from-now Accessed Dec. 8, 2019

https://www.pexels.com/photo/alternative-energy-building-clouds-energy-356036/

https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photography-of-lighted-light-bulb-672111/

https://www.pexels.com/photo/high-rise-buildings-during-night-time-photo-219692/