Mar 12 2010
Arosa Solar, a NJ solar power company, hosted a solar energy exhibition at Lakewood Cheder, a local private school. The company educated students and families about the benefits of using alternative energy sources. Arosa Solar is committed to educating the public concerning the benefits of renewable energy as an alternative to coal based solutions.
New Jersey Solar Company Arosa Solar Teach Class about Alternative Energy Sources
The exhibition began with the room in darkness. When the lights came on, students were asked what they thought happened when the light switch was flicked off. Several answers were shouted from the crowd of attentive kids, and were added to by the speaker. The conclusion they reached is that electricity powered the lights - and that the utility company charges for that electricity.
The instructor, Shimmy Tessler taught about how we need autonomy from foreign oil. He spoke about the drawbacks to coal pollution – all in terms the students could relate to. He then asked if it would be better to have clean energy that was free.
See the video on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut0988zeA-M
He went on to explain how the sun's rays convert in the PV system to produce pollution-free energy. Any extra power generated can then be channeled back to the utility company for a credit to use on the days when there isn’t enough sunshine to use solar energy.
The children got to see what a PV panel looks like and learned how photovoltaic systems work to produce clean energy. An actual panel was passed around the room as well as pictures of the international space station, which is covered with solar panels and powered by the sun.
There are many ways the government encourages New Jersey solar energy development. There are federal incentives and state rebates available to help defer the cost to install a PV system. Using these methods can reduce the start up cost of installing a solar system by as much as 55%.
The exhibition was a success according to Arosa Energy spokesperson Shimmy Tessler, who commented on the importance of education. "It's the next generation that will really bring alternative energy into its own. If we can educate and inform, the chances of higher solar power use in the coming decades increases dramatically," said Tessler. That’s exactly what Aorsa hopes to continue to do, one school at a time.
To end the presentation, there was a raffle. The winner took home a remote controlled, solar powered toy car.