Pittsburgh, PA –
Community Day School students aren’t just learning about solar energy in the classroom. They now have the tools to measure, meter, monitor, and analyze scientific data from the world around them.
All of this was made possible with the recent Energy Discovery System installation by AYA Instruments Inc., and the generous support of the Snow Foundation.
The recently installed Energy Discovery System at Community Day School includes: two solar panels, an Outback Power inverter and charge controller, a battery bank, and a weather station. The solar system produces electricity that students can use inside and outside the school building. It is also connected to real-time software that allows students to compare energy use around the world. The data is logged and stored online, giving students and teachers access through an app or online portal.
Students are tasked to look at the local weather and compare it with weather stations around the world. They then can look at the energy production of each community member’s station and hypothesize causes for the variances in realtime production and historical data.
During the spring, students help determine the best location for the solar panel using a dome device that measures year-round sunlight and shading in a particular location.
AYA has led the energy community in bringing a greater awareness of energy’s importance. They have provided students with the means to track worldwide weather data, while learning how it relates to energy production and allowing them to get hands on experiential learning.
The energy education community continues to grow with the support of AYA Instruments and industry professionals in the form of grant money.
About the AYA Instruments
Since 1990, AYA Instruments has supplied the conventional and alternative electrical energy industry with measuring instruments. The Pittsburgh-based company provides an extensive range of electrical measuring transducers, signal conditioners, and metering transformer to a diverse customer base, including the solar, semiconductor, and process control industries.
