By Mark Boshnack
Staff Writer
SIDNEY _ The future looks bright for Sidney
High School
science students
wanting to learn
more about a cutting-
edge technology.
Thanks to
equipment donated
by Silicon Solar
of Bainbridge, students are learning how to use
an on-demand solar hot water system. Some
students learned how to put the unit together
while others tested the efficiency
of solar heating
and finding it impressive.
By using the equipment,
students will learn about
how solar power can help
with sustainable living,
said biology teacher Todd
Paternoster, who originally
contacted the company
about the system.
He was working Tuesday
with 11th-grade environmental
science teacher
Jay Waltz.
“It’s pretty cool how
our school is getting into
it and experimenting with
it,” said student Christina
Romano.
She checked the temperature
on the storage
tank and found it was heated
to about 190 degrees
Fahrenheit by the evacuated
tubes that catch the
sun’s rays.
“I was surprised how
hot it was,” she said.
Using a thermometer,
Dakota VanValkenburgh
found that the water
that entered the system
through a garden hose at
about 60 degrees came out
at about 150 degrees.
“It was really something,”
he said about how
hot the water was. “I didn’t
think you could heat water
with solar energy.”
Waltz said he would like
to see the system developed
to heat greenhouses
or barns. Dairy farmers use
a lot of hot water, he said,
and although it wouldn’t
replace a conventional
hot water heater, it could
supplement it.
Science teachers at the
school are developing a
solar club that will involve
students in all departments
working with the technology,
Paternoster said.
Matt Brown, a sales
manager with Silicon, said
the unit has a value of
about $1,000.
It was donated because
both of the owners, brothers
Matt and Adam Farrell,
are graduates of Sidney
High School, as are many
of the company’s employees.
Many of them have
relatives at the school,
Brown said.
Paternoster said he is
resigning effective July 1
at Sidney, after a 10-year
teaching career, and will
join the company to develop
educational programs
around the country.
He wants to devote his
attention to sustainable
living, he said.
inactive
Related Photos
-
Sidney High School student Dakota VanValkenburgh tests the water temperature coming out of a solar hot water system, which was donated Jay Waltz, stands behind him at the high school on Tuesday. Photo by Mark Boshnack
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Welcome to our story comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including the unpopular ones. We only ask that you keep your conversations clean, civil and on the topic of the story you are commenting on.
Coinciding with our websites redesign, we launched our new story comments feature through Disqus.
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3. Harassing, harmful, vulgar, obscene and defamatory language.
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6. Intolerant comments on religion, race, age, gender, sexual preference or disabilities.
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8. Content that is harmful to children and minors in any way.
9. References to any type of sexual activity and other private matters.
10. Random and inflammatory statements that are off topic.
11. Advertising of any kind.
12. Typing in all caps.
WE ENCOURAGE REASONABLE AND COURTEOUS COMMENTS THAT:
1. Create conversation on issues of interest and concern to fellow readers and local community members.
2. Express opinions and contrarian views.
3. Stimulate debate with respectful language.
4. Stay within the boundaries of these rules.
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SUSPEND OR TERMINATE ACCESS FOR:
1. Violating any of these Online Rules of Conduct.
2. Deliberately disrupting discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or spam.
3. Misrepresentation of identity or impersonating another user.
WE WELCOME:
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April 23, 2008
On the bright side: Students learn about solar water
- Local News
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3 area lawyers say Kagan likely to be confirmed
Elena Kagan is likely to be confirmed as United States Supreme Court justice and seems qualified for the post, according to three area lawyers.
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Kagan, the nations solicitor general and a former dean of Harvard Law School, is President Barack Obamas choice to succeed retiring Justice John Paul Stevens. -
Outdoor biking program starts in city
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The group meets at the Brenner Recreational Center near Hodges Pond in Neahwa Park at 5 p.m. -
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Motorist rolls truck, charged with drunken driving
