D-Lab: Energy

In this lab, the class does a charcoal burn from start to finish, loading the drum, lighting it, and sealing it after some of the burn. While the burn is going on, they grate yucca to make a binder, make briquettes using the contents from a previous burn.

In this pre-lab lecture, students learn the basics about how photovoltaic solar panels work. They also learn about various solar thermal technologies, and the advantages to using SODIS bags for solar water disinfection.

In this lab, students use soda bottles, wire, and magnets to construct small wind turbines on wooden bases. They use the Savonius wind turbine design and troubleshoot various problems that come up, finally calculating voltage and current when finished.

In this pre-lab lecture, students learn about using organic matter to create biogas for cooking and when biodigesters are advantageous vs impractical. Finally, they go over a specific biodigester design in great detail, learning how each part works.

In this lab, students connect several small PV panels together into a circuit. They then take their solar arrays outside and compare the output of each individual panel to that of the array as a whole, and measure the effect shading has on the array.

In this lab, students make small working biodigesters, building a base and piping and putting an animal waste slurry into a small soda bottle. They also learn about the design of SODIS bags and, using sheets of plastic, make SODIS bags.

In this lab, students work with solar panels to calculate the peak power output of a solar cell, choosing an orientation and measuring the power of the cell. Then they work out how output changes with angle and how efficiency drops with shading.

In this pre-lab lecture, students learn about the sun and its pluses and minuses as a source of energy, and the various inefficiencies throughout the process of harvesting, storing, then using solar power.

In this lab, students complete three modules: water pumping, water carrying, and shop training. They use a cement rocker foot pump and a PVC hand pump, and try carrying water in four different ways. Finally, they complete a woodworking assignment.

Four student teams (juice bag sealer, charcoal burn, solar charger for cell phones, rice dehusking) present initial designs, preliminary test results, and next steps, and get feedback from guest reviewers and mentors.

Three student teams give 20 minute presentations about their week-long visits to community partners, in which they test and refine various energy project designs.

Four student teams (juice bag sealer, charcoal barrel improvement, solar charger for cell phones, rice dehusking) give final presentations and demonstrations of their projects, at the D-Lab Spring Showcase event.

This video contains three student team presentations previewing their plans for upcoming visits to Nicaragua and El Salvador community partners, and feedback from instructor Amy Banzaert about those plans.

Wind and water are important potential energy sources in the developing world. This lecture covers design considerations and examples of wind and micro-hydro energy systems.

This lecture reviews solar cooker technology and a case study in D-Lab's Creative Capacity Building workshops. The session ends with final thoughts on trip preparation, including how to get good information from community partners, and how to pack.

In the developing world, widely used cooking technologies (especially biomass) pose mounting health risks, high expense, and environmental damage. This lecture considers alternative fuels and stove designs, with a focus on the D-Lab charcoal project.

This lecture introduces design as iterative process, reviews techniques like Pugh and Gantt charts, and provides guidance on project design and deliverables during the remaining 6 weeks of the course.

This lecture on lighting for the developing world covers fundamentals of lighting and some example solutions. A survey of class projects from previous years and intro to this year's community partners finish the session.

This lecture explores energy storage needs in developing countries. It also includes a review of some intro topics and pedal power, estimation exercises, and a preview of the spring break field trip.

This lecture is a brief survey of solar energy, with focus on photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies.

This lecture introduces fundamental energy concepts: energy around in the world, energy units, a quick electricity review, and some estimation practice activities. The session ends with a syllabus overview.