One Earth Calculation Worksheet-3

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Southern New Hampshire University *

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SCI-207

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Physics

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Jan 9, 2024

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ne Earth Calculation Worksheet You work for OneEarth, an environmental consulting company that specializes in building condition assessments, contaminated site remediation, and energy audits. Founded by an environmentally concerned citizen in 2010, OneEarth has emerged as the highest-quality and most comprehensive environmental services company in the region. Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), a private nonprofit university located in Manchester, New Hampshire, in the United States, is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint. SNHU has approached OneEarth for its assistance and expertise in achieving this goal. Knowing of your desires to diversify your experience and professional portfolio, your manager, Claire DeAir, has consented for you to join the team working with SNHU. You’re responsible for creating a technical report based on an analysis of the data the onsite team has collected over the last few weeks to determine the cost- effectiveness of SNHU adopting solar energy. For your technical report, you should complete this OPTIONAL worksheet that shows all steps of all calculations. Mastery will not be possible if you do not show your work. You will use the calculated values from the worksheet to support the recommendation you will make in the technical report. Directions You’ve been asked to recommend whether or not SNHU should install solar energy panels on one of its buildings in Manchester, New Hampshire, to reduce the university’s carbon footprint. Using the data in the SNHU Site Data document in the Supporting Materials section, you will conduct a series of calculations. With those calculations, you will create a technical report for SNHU that explains whether the university should invest in solar energy by purchasing the system or by leasing. Your technical report should reference the following calculations on this worksheet: General rule for rounding: If the number you are rounding is followed by 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, round the number up. For example, 38 rounded to the nearest ten is 40. 12.678 rounded to the hundredths place is 12.68. If the number you are rounding is followed by 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4, round the number down. If the number you are rounding is followed by a 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, round the number up. ( https://www.factmonster.com/math/numbers/rounding-numbers-rules-examples- fractions-sums ) 1. A calculation of the total electricity output of a solar panel system in kilowatts hours (kWh) Use the following steps as a guide to making this calculation. Please show your work for all calculations in the response boxes.

1A. What are the dimensions of the building’s roof in meters? Dimensions are found by multiplying the roof slope height by roof length 60m * 30m= 1800 sq m 1B. What are the dimensions of each solar panel in centimeters? (To convert from inches to centimeters, multiply the dimensions in inches by 2.54 and do not round until the last step of the calculation.) Find the number of centimeters for each dimension. Round to the nearest tenth. The solar panel’s dimensions are 80 in x 40 in x 2 in 80 in*2.54 cm/1 in =203.2 cm 40 in* 2.54 cm/1 in=101.6 cm 2 in* 2.54 cm/1 in=5.08 cm 1C. How many panels will fit on the roof in each direction? Round down to the nearest whole panel. What is the total number of whole panels that will fit on the roof? Assume the panels are laid out on the roof in this configuration. Drawing is not to scale per the roof’s measurements.; you will need to calculate the number of panels needed given the roof’s actual length and width. Length of the building & solar panel = 60 m & 2.032 m = 29.527 or 29 panels Width of building & panel width = 30 m / 1.016 m = 29.528 or 29 panels 29 panel roof length * 29 panels in roof width = 841 total panels 1D. Convert the dimensions of one panel from centimeters to meters.

Use these values and the dimensions of the roof in meters to find the area of the panels in meters to make sure that the area covered by of the panels is less than the area of the roof. Round to the nearest thousandth. Area = length x width. Area of panels: L 29 panels*2.032m=58.928m W 29 panels*1.016m=29.464m Total area of panels= (Length) 58.938x (Width) 29.464= 1736.254sq m =1736.25sq m Assume 1kW = 1,000W, and 1 hour of sunlight produces 400 watts per panel per hour. 1E. How many kW per hour (kWh) of sunlight could be produced per solar panel? Per the entire system (based on how many panels could fit on the roof)? Round to the nearest tenth. 1 kW = 1000 watts, and 1 hour of sunlight produces 400 watts per panel 400 watts (per panel) / 1000 watts = 0.4 kW per panel per hour 1 panel=0.4 kW per hour… 841 panels*0.4 kW/hour = 336.4 kW per hour of sunlight 1F. How many hours of sunlight are expected on average per month? Calculate the average hours based on the monthly data provided. Round down to the nearest tenth of an hour. Total sunlight hours per year =2,632 hours 2,632 hours / 12 months = 219.3 average hours of sunlight per month 1G. What is the average amount of kWh produced by one panel based on the average amount of sunlight per month? Per year? Round to the nearest hundredth kWh. Per month: 219.3 hours*0.4 kWh=87.72 kWh per panel per month Per Year: 87.72 kWh per panel*12 months =1,052.64 kWh per panel per year 1H. What is the total amount of kWh that is produced by the entire solar panel system per month based on the average monthly sunlight? Per year? Round to the nearest hundredth kWh.

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Per Month: 841 panels*87.72 kWh per panel = 73,772.52 kWh per month Per Year: 73,772.52 kWh per month*12 months = 885,270.24 kWh per year 2. A calculation of the difference between the current electricity usage of the building and the electricity generated by a solar panel system in kilowatt hours and in dollars Use the following steps as a guide to making this calculation. Please show your work for all calculations in the response boxes. 2A. How much electricity does the building use on average annually in watts and in dollars? 271,253 kwh*0.165 per kwh =$44,756.75 annually 2B. What is the estimated total amount of kWh produced by the entire solar panel system on this building per year, based on the average monthly sunlight for the area? Hint: You have already calculated this in an earlier question. The estimated total amount of KWh produced by the entire solar panel system per year is 885,270.24 kWh 2C. Based on the average cost of electricity in the area, is there a savings from implementing the solar panel system? ▪ Is the amount of electricity generated by the solar panel system sufficient to cover SNHU’s yearly electricity usage? ▪ If not, what is the remaining energy needed in kW? How much would this cost in dollars? In other words, what is the remaining utility bill? ▪ If the energy generated is more than the energy needed to run the building, how much additional savings is there for energy that can be channeled to other buildings on campus or sold back to the energy company? Yes there is a savings from implementing the solar panel system. kWh produced= 885,270 kWh

SNHU uses= 271,253 kWh 885,270 kWh solar system - 271,253 kWh electricity= 614,017 kWh remaining energy 614,017 kWh left* $0.165 per kWh = $101,312.81 savings 3. A determination of the likelihood of receiving a damaged panel SNHU expressed some concerns about receiving damaged solar panels from the manufacturer. You would like to be transparent and address these concerns by illustrating the likelihood of a damaged panel based on the size of the system SNHU would be purchasing. The manufacturer has reported that since solar panels are complex and evolving technology, 1 out of every 1,000 manufactured solar panels is defective. Please show your work for all calculations in the response boxes. 3A. How many panels fit on the roof? Hint: You have already calculated this. 841 panels fit on the roof. 3B. What is the probability or likelihood that SNHU will receive a damaged solar panel, based on the number of panels it would be purchasing? SNHU will be purchasing 841 panels. 1/1000= 0.001*841= 0.84 84% likelihood that SNHU will receive a damaged solar panel. 4. A determination of how long it would take to pay back the cost of buying the system in years Use the following steps as a guide to making this calculation—you can assume there will not be any required maintenance during the first 10 years. Please show your work for all calculations in the response boxes. 4A. What would be the upfront cost to purchase and install the solar panel system? ▪ How much does each panel cost? How much does the entire system cost? ▪ How much does installation cost? ▪ What are the government incentives? How does that affect the cost?

▪ What is the remaining utility cost, if there is one? Upfront cost is $560 560l*841 panels =$470,960 total panel cost. Install cost $0.75 per watt*400 watts per panel = $300 per panel. $300 per panel*841 panels =$252,300 total installations cost Total system cost $470,960 panel cost + $252,300 installation cost =$723,260 4B. How much will your solar panels save SNHU per year? My solar panels will save $101,312.81 per year. 4C. How long would it take to pay back the cost of purchasing the solar panel system in years? (Years = Net Cost to Purchase and Install Solar Panel System / Savings Per Year) The time in years should take into account all energy savings, not just those for the building on which the solar panels are installed. $506,282/$101,312.81= 4.99 It would take approximately 5 years. 5. A determination of the cost of leasing a solar panel system for 10 years. Use the following steps as a guide to making this calculation. Please show your work for all calculations in the response boxes. 5A. What is the total cost to lease the solar system for 10 years in dollars? ▪ How much does it cost to rent one panel for one month? ▪ How much does it cost to rent the entire solar panel system for 10 years, assuming no price increases? The monthly cost to rent entire solar system(including savings) = $ 97.00 per panel 841 panels*$ 97 per panel = $ 81,577 per month The annual cost to rent $ 81,577 per month x 12 month = $ 978,924 per year $ 978,924 per year*10 years = $ 9,789,240 10 year total cost

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5B. What is the total remaining utility bill for 10 years? $240 total utility expense every year x 10 years = $2,400 6. Evaluate whether there is a cost savings over 10 years for purchasing or leasing the solar panel system Fill out the table to compare the options. Please note that every expense or savings will not apply to every option. You need to determine which costs and savings belong where. 10-year cost without installing solar panels 10-year cost of purchasing the solar panels 10-year cost of leasing the solar panels Value of surplus electricity generated by solar panels for 10 years Other savings for 10 years Total savings Cost of electricity for 10 years Cost of leasing for 10 years Cost of purchasing Installation cost Other expenses Discount on purchase and installation Total cost Net cost or savings over 10 years* *Hint: Subtract total cost from total savings Using the values you just calculated, prepare a technical report of 1,000-1,500 words to include: ● A recommendation of whether SNHU should install solar energy panels on its building based on your calculations. ● An explanation of whether SNHU should invest in a solar energy system by

purchasing it upfront or by leasing it based on your calculations. What to Submit Every project has a deliverable or deliverables, which are the files that must be submitted before your project can be assessed. For this project, you must submit the following: ● Calculation worksheet (optional) ● Technical report (1,000–1,500 words) The best thing to do is for SNHU to adopt solar panels due to long-term benefits. SNHU uses 271,253 kWh of electricity annually, while each solar panel produces 1051.2 kWh. The estimated total amount of KWh produced by the entire solar panel system per year is 885,270.24 kWh. Since solar panels last about 25-30 years, and with the possibility that SNHU was leasing the solar panel for 20 years, SNHU would benefit from purchasing the actual solar panel instead of renting. This investment will save SNHU thousands of dollars. The kWh produced is 885,270 kWh, and since SNHU uses 271,253 kWh, there would be 614,017 kWh left, which leaves SNHU with $101,312.81 savings. The deposit might be higher but some payments will only be a one-time commitment within that timeframe. The Upfront purchase and installation of panels cost $560 for each panel. 560l*841 panels equals $470,960 total panel cost. The install cost would be ($0.75 per watt*400 watts per panel) $300 per panel. For all panels, it would take $252,300 for the total installation cost. The Total system cost is $723,260, making SNHU save $101,312.81 annually. It would take approximately five years to pay back the cost of purchasing the solar panel system.

If SNHU were to rent, they would have to commit to a $97 monthly fee per panel and the $20 monthly utility cost. The total rent cost would add up to $9,789,240 for ten years only. Going for owning the solar system would be economically beneficial to the institution. Purchasing and installing the solar panel system would save SNHU $411,468.98 . SNHU could also sell unused energy and gain part of the money back. Meanwhile, while renting, all the money is spent with no value for SNHU. Eight hundred forty-one panels fit on the roof; therefore, it is essential to note that there is an 84% likelihood that SNHU will receive a damaged solar panel.

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One Earth Calculation Worksheet-3

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