Project

A) How does a wind turbine (or solar panel) work, and how is one constructed? B) I basically stumbled upon this subject because it was something I was interested in, but didn't know much about yet. I've seen wind turbines a few miles on either direction a highway before, but I have never seen one up close, nor do I know how it works. The only thing I know about it is that it saves energy, and that wind turbines are the "energy source of the future." I wanted to learn more. C) I would like to learn about how wind turbines work, and see if I can create a working model on a much smaller scale. In order to do that, I'd need to learn a lot about electricity, design, and engineering. D) Alternative energies, weather and climatology, engineering, and (especially) electricity are all fields that I will have to delve deeply into. E) "Windspires." __Power From The Wind__. US Department of Energy. 19 February 2009. .

This source has provided some of the basic information that I needed. For example, it has information on the inner workings of a wind turbine, how much wind it would require, how much energy it outputs, etc. Even more important, it has links to other extraordinarily helpful sites. They have details concerning the electric design of the turbine.

"Small Wind Turbines." __Small Wind__. 2009. American Wind Energy Association. 19 February 2009. . F) This project will involve a large amount of time, a little cash to buy materials, and a ton of research. First of all, I have no idea how to wire a generator to a lightbulb, let alone make a generator. So I will have to be looking at countless design schematics as well as numerous sources concerning wind. Once I have the information and materials, time shouldn't be too much of an obstacle. I think I could get it done within a week or two once I have everything else. G) My mentor will assist me in assembling the materials and necessary information. My topic expert, however, will help me grasp the concept of electric design, and hopefully show me how I can make a working generator and wire stuff together. I am hoping Mr. Imaizumi will be my topic expert, and he went to grad school for that kind of stuff. H) The only problem I could see appearing is that I don't have a firm enough grasp on electrical design to make a wind turbine successfully power a light bulb. Although that is my goal, it's always possible that it falls short just a little bit. Regardless, I would have a model - whether it works or not will be the question.