Day 22: Solar Energy Harvesting

As the Nebula Raider continues its journey through space, it’s crucial to find sustainable energy sources to power the ship. Solar energy is abundant and can be harnessed to provide a reliable power supply. As a cadet, you are tasked with setting up a simulated solar energy collection system using the components in the kit. This system will involve creating a setup to mimic solar energy harvesting, monitoring the energy collected, and ensuring it is efficiently stored and used.

Components Needed:

Raspberry Pi Pico WH Microcontroller
Resistors
10uf 50v Electrolytic Capacitors
LEDs
Breadboard
Jumper wires
Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) (if the output is analog)
Diode (1N4007) (if available in the kit)

Instructions:

Set Up the Circuit:

Create a voltage divider using resistors to simulate the output of a solar panel.
Use an LED to represent the energy collection.
Use a capacitor to smooth out the voltage if needed.
Connect the simulated solar panel output to the ADC input on the Raspberry Pi Pico (e.g., GP26).
Connect the Raspberry Pi Pico to the breadboard and make all necessary connections.

Write the Code:

Open your coding environment and write the following Python code to monitor the simulated solar energy collected.

Test the System:

Upload the code to the Raspberry Pi Pico and run it.
Adjust the resistors to simulate different light conditions and observe the voltage readings.
Ensure the system accurately measures and displays the voltage generated by the simulated solar panel.
Learning Outcomes:

Renewable Energy: Understand the principles of solar energy collection and its importance for sustainable power.
Sensor Integration: Learn how to simulate a solar panel using resistors and an ADC with the Raspberry Pi Pico.
Microcontroller Programming: Develop skills in writing code to read and display sensor data.
Extension Ideas:

Energy Storage: Add a capacitor to simulate the storage of energy collected from the simulated solar panel.
Power Management: Implement a system to manage the power distribution and usage from the stored energy.
Data Logging: Create a data logging system to track the simulated solar energy collected over time.
By completing this project, you will have built a simulated solar energy collection system that helps harness renewable energy for the Nebula Raider. This system will contribute to the ship’s sustainable power supply and demonstrate the importance of renewable energy sources.