Green Planet Spinner 🌍 🤲 🍃
Adam (1st Grade)
Hello! My project is called Green Planet Spinner. I’m very excited to tell you about it!
First, I started by tracing the “continents” on the transparent sphere using a material called Leading. Leading needs 24 hours to dry, so I had to be patient! After that, I painted the sphere using glass paint in blue and green colors to make it look like planet Earth!
Next, I used a circular wooden base that I divided into five parts. I painted each part in different colors, and on each one, I placed a source of energy! I have solar, hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, and biomass energy.
For solar energy, I placed a small solar toy car and an ice cream stick with a cute sun drawn on it. For biomass, I used fake trees! For wind energy, I used a recycled windmill kit. I made two pieces of styrofoam covered in clay for hydroelectric energy to simulate a dam. And for geothermal energy, I made a volcano using half a styrofoam cup and clay of various colors!
Thanks to my mom’s small printer, I printed stickers with the names of energy sources.
I placed a transparent glass in the center of the wooden base and the painted transparent sphere on top of it. On each side of the sphere, I placed two wooden hands that decorate our house to make it look like they are holding the globe!
The project’s name includes “spinner” because I put the whole project on a rotating base to simulate the rotation of the Earth! I also placed small people to decorate the entire project.
I made this project to show how humans have used different energy sources to evolve on Earth. Taking care of our planet and using clean energies like these is important.
It was very fun to do this project, and I learned a lot about renewable energies! Thanks.
Each year, you blow me away with your projects. I know that you are creating these pieces of art and your ideas are just pouring into it. Seeing it spin on the table at Energy Whiz made me tear up. It was just so wonderful. I know that you have so many more years ahead of you for even more amazing projects and I cannot wait to see what you create next.
I asked Google Gemini to give us some talking points about renewable energy in Florida. While I agree with most of it, there are a few items I am unsure of, but I guess that makes for good talking points. Here is what Google Gemini wrote for your project:
Florida’s Sunshine Advantage:
Solar Superstar: Florida is nicknamed the “Sunshine State” for a reason! It has some of the highest solar energy potential in the US. This makes solar panels a perfect fit for generating clean electricity in homes and businesses.
Breezy Benefits: Coastal areas of Florida experience consistent winds, making wind turbines another viable renewable energy option. Wind farms could be placed strategically to capture this abundant resource. (This is one that I am unsure of. I see lots of wind farms in the midwest and especially as you go north in the midwest, but I don’t see a lot here. There may be more wind on the coast but would it be enough for an investment in a windfarm?)
Powering Florida’s Future:
Solar on the Rise: Florida is already a leader in solar energy, ranking third in the nation for solar power generation. This trend is expected to continue with increasing adoption of solar panels.
Hydro on the Move: While large-scale dams aren’t common in Florida, smaller hydropower plants could be utilized in rivers and streams, particularly in the northern part of the state.
Biomass Potential: Florida’s agricultural industry creates organic waste that can be converted into biofuels. Research into biofuel production could offer a sustainable alternative to traditional transportation fuels.
Geothermal Exploration: While Florida doesn’t have the traditional geothermal resources of volcanic regions, there’s ongoing research into utilizing the Earth’s heat at shallower depths. This could be a potential source of clean energy in the future.
Challenges and Opportunities:
Storage Solutions: Storing solar and wind energy for use during non-peak hours is a key challenge. Florida can invest in battery storage technology to overcome this hurdle. (A battery to store the energy from the solar panels at a house can cost a lot of money, especially if you are not renting the equipment. This might be a good option for the state but for homeowners, not all are lucky enough to get the battery too for backup.)
Infrastructure Upgrade: Transitioning to a more renewable energy grid may require infrastructure upgrades to accommodate new sources like wind and solar.
Policy and Incentives: Supportive policies and incentives from the government can encourage wider adoption of renewable energy technologies in Florida.
Florida has a bright future in clean energy with its abundant sunshine and wind resources. By addressing storage challenges, investing in infrastructure, and implementing supportive policies, the Sunshine State can become a leader in the transition to a clean energy future!
What a great project! I can tell you really thought about how to represent the different types of energy. Awesome job using so many different ideas, colors, and materials.