Learning about Solar Energy!

DOCNC took a trip to the NC State Solar House, a house functioning entirely without electricity. It sounded a little far-fetched to the kids. But in the end, their vision was broadened to a whole new world of solar power and how it can be a renewable source of energy to save the Earth from global warming.

When the members went inside the house, they were invited to play a little engineering game, a short brain teaser of sorts. It wasn’t as simple as you might have thought. Everybody had 30 blocks, with five different colors and 6 of each color. The kids had to make 3D pieces and put them together to make 3 x 3 cubes.

The NC State representatives that were guiding everyone through this trip took the kids through real-time situations that people may face running their own factories, such as labor shortages, language differences, and so on. It was eye-opening to experience the difficulties that workers face every day.

After this exciting activity, DOCNC was taken on a tour around the house, exploring the many different features that helped it run independently without the need for electricity.  Members also learned many additional facts that solar power generates so much energy in the summer that they can sell some of their energy back to the energy company and the fact that LEDs, which stands for “light-emitting diode,” are much more energy-efficient and brighter than incandescent lightbulbs.

The trip ended by digging a bit into the history of the Solar House, which further deepened everyone’s knowledge. Overall, this was an enriching experience for all participants.