This blog is a website to provide ongoing support to all teachers in their implementation of the Island Energy Inquiry Curriculum shared in teacher workshops throughout Hawai'i.
Showing posts with label Renewable Energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Renewable Energy. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Island Energy Inquiry Lending Library Fall 2011

As Hawaii educators are starting their 2011/2012 school year, we would like to remind Island Energy Inquiry Workshop participants that the Island Energy Inquiry Library Program (IEI-LL Program) is available to teachers who want to use hands-on tools to implement energy inquiry science in their classrooms.

To sign up for a kit, please complete the following survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8NPKXMS

Participants need to have an IEI-LL Participant Agreement on file, abide by the program's policies and procedures, and have a google or gmail account to access online shared forms.

If you have already implemented the IEI-LL tools in your classroom, please share your IEI-LL experiences and ideas here! Mahalo!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Maui Smart Grid Project

The Maui Smart Grid Project will demonstrate and evaluate new technologies that will help residents better manage and reduce energy consumption during periods of high demand, and assist Maui Electric Co. (MECO) to operate the power grid more efficiently. These technologies will also help  to restore power outages faster and integrate more renewable energy into Maui’s electricity grid. If you are interested and participating and live in the Maui Meadows please check out: http://www.mauismartgrid.com/

Resource from: http://www.mauismartgrid.com/

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

"Clean Energy: Picking up the Pace in 2011"

Hawaiian Electric Company's latest newsletter featuring updated information on new technologies, customer projects, and the status of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative.

 "Clean Energy: Picking up the Pace in 2011". Powerlines. Summer 2011.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Appropedia: The Sustainability Wiki


Mission: Sharing knowledge to build rich and sustainable lives.

Appropedia is the "Wikipedia" of sustainability. This internationally used site has information on all things sustainable such as detailed descriptions of the different renewable energy technologies, creative new RE inventions, and information on RE projects done all over the world. The name Appropedia comes from the idea of "Appropriate Tehnology". Below is a description of appropriate technology directly from the Appropedia website. Appropedia is a great place to share information and collaborate with others on renewable energy. It's a wiki so it is free to sign up and would be a perfect place to post projects you may have done with your students.

Appropriate technology (AT) is technology that is designed with special consideration to the context of its use - including environmental, ethical, cultural, social, political, and economical aspects of the community it is intended for. With these goals in mind, AT proponents claim their methods require fewer resources, are easier to maintain, and have less of an impact on the environment compared to techniques from mainstream technology, which they contend is wasteful and environmentally polluting.

The term is usually used to describe simple technologies proponents consider suitable for use in developing nations or less developed rural areas of industrialized nations. This form of "appropriate technology" usually prefers labor-intensive solutions over capital-intensive ones, although labor-saving devices are also used where this does not mean high capital or maintenance cost. In practice, appropriate technology is often something described as using the simplest level of technology that can effectively achieve the intended purpose in a particular location. In industrialized nations, the term appropriate technology takes a different meaning, often referring to engineering that takes special consideration of its social and environmental ramifications.



Friday, July 29, 2011

Haleakala Solar is installing what will be the largest commercial PV power generation system in Maui County

AAAA - Rent-A-Space in Honokowai, Maui will be builiding a 600-kilowatt rooftop system. It will be the largest commercial photovoltaic power system in Maui County. Construction will begin in September 2011. To read more see link from Pacific Business News http://bit.ly/qHdxNG

Monday, July 11, 2011

Island Energy Inquiry Leadership Seminar




Educators from all over the islands gathered here at our MEDB Lab in Kihei, Maui to learn about and participate in activities related to renewable energy, in hopes of adding these activities to their current curriculum. The Island Energy Inquiry program is led by Diana Papini-Warren, a project manager for Women in Technology and MEDB. This is a compilation of pictures taken by the IEI leaders during the workshop this past June. Each participant was lent their own personal Ipod Touch to take pictures of various renewable energy activities throughout the day. They completed a couple of wind turbine projects and also a solar power activity. Mahalo to Eliza Akana, Ignacio Arcas, Gentry Hirohata, Pam Kohara, Holly Lee, J. Mitchell, Debby Tisdell, and Karen Umeda for participating.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Monday, October 25, 2010

The NEED Project – National Energy Education Development


Great Resource for Teachers!

The mission of the NEED Project is to promote an energy conscious and educated society by creating effective networks of students, educators, business, government and community leaders.


Link to PowerPoints and PDF's for teaching renewable energy concepts!


Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Learn about Energy Studies, Rebates and Lighting for Small Businesses

Upcoming event on Maui that which helps support small businesses increase efficiency. For more information check out High Tech Maui at:

http://www.hightechmaui.com/wp/?p=341


To Register Download Flyer:
http://www.hightechmaui.com/pdf/IndustryandManufacturesInvitation.pdf

Hawaii Energy


We recently learned how 30% of the 70% Clean Energy by 2030 goal is increasing efficiency. Here is the entity that is taking the lead to help Hawaii achieve that goal.
http://www.hawaiienergy.com/



Friday, October 8, 2010

Online Mapping & GIS Resources on Energy

• National Renewable Energy Lab(NREL) Map Search:
Dynamic Maps, GIS Data, & Analysis Tools
http://www.nrel.gov/gis/
• International UNEP GRID
http://maps.grida.no/
• ESRI: Map Museum
http://www.esri.com/mapmuseum/index.html
• ESRI: GIS for Renewable Energy Best Practices – An Article
http://www.esri.com/library/bestpractices/renewable-energy.pdf

IEI Kits Provide Hard Copies of Maps!

Here are the Online Sources and Versions for the Maps Provided in Island Energy Inquiry Kits:

Solar Energy Maps of Hawaii
http://hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/energy/publications/solardata/
Wind Energy Map of Hawaii
http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/maps_template.asp?stateab=hi
Energy Potential for Hawaii
http://www.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=HI

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Siemens Foundation Sponsors National Sustainability Challenge for Students Grades K-12


Students Teams Compete for Prizes Up to $50,000 Joint Scholarship


Siemens Foundations encourages teams of students to become “Agents of Change” using project-based science inquiry approaches to identify, research and recommend solutions to environmental issues in their communities.




What are some environmental issues in your community that you would like to change?

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

"WindWise" Curriculum Launched


KidWind and Pandion have partnered to develop a wind energy program for educators and schools. Funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the program includes curriculum, activity kits, teacher training, and will soon offer a “Connect Zone” where educators can share resources.
http://my.kidwind.org/windwise/curriculum

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Wind Energy Quiz for Students

BrainPop, a fabulous resource for teachers and students, has a fun, online quiz that ties in perfectly with the Island Energy Inquiry Curriculum Module: Island Breezes Blowing Island Energy.

BrainPop Wind Energy Quiz
http://www.brainpop.com/science/energy/windenergy/quiz/

Monday, November 23, 2009

Online Maps of Hawaii Energy Use and Potential

Wind Powering America
http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/maps_template.asp?stateab=hi
Wind energy potential maps for Hawaii.

Energy Information Administration
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=HI
Energy Statistics for the United States

NREL - An Excellent Resource!

The National Renewable Energy Lab website has excellent information to supplement the Island Energy Inquiry Curriculum!

NREL
http://www.nrel.gov/