To assist my students with getting to grips with scripting in OpenSim, they have come at this from C and Java, I have installed a basic solar panel. The panel, which is 1m square is as you can see from the screen shot producing 150 Watts of power. I have not completed the coding for the example and the task of my group will be to see if they can tidy up the script and include features for time of day etc. For their own projects, and I have now given them all individual energy requirements, they will have to re-size the panel and modify the script so that enough power is generated.Once in place they should begin to get an idea of the physical impact that production of electricity from solar energy will have upon a living environment, not something we think about when all we normally see is a light switch or power socket. What will happen at night, when there will be no Sun and so no power? Speculate about a storage system, which means being able to produce a lot more power than you actually need during the day, hence a much larger panel! such arguments will form the basis of the final evaluation.
If you would like to see how it all turns out then please stay in touch.
kind regards Vega
