DIY Solar Workshop facilitators guide v4.1 by Demand Energy Equality

DIY Solar Phone Charger Workshop Facilitator’s Guide March 2017

Version 4.1

Contents Using this guide

General points on running workshops

Workshop flowchart

Workshop Notes

Before the workshop

Starting the workshop: Introduction and theory

Introducing the tools and materials

Building the panel

Step 1: Soldering tabbing wire to the top of the cells

Step 2: Preparing the polycarbonate and placing the cells

Step 3: Heating the EVA to stick the cells

Step 4: Tabbing the other sideo f the cells

Step 5: Cross tabbing

Step 6: Encapsulation

Step 7: Bonding the panel into the neoprene case

Step 8: Attach USB DC-DC voltage converter

Summing up

Appendix 1: About Demand Energy Equality

Appendix 2: Games and Group Activities

Introductory Games

Games to demonstrate basic principles

Energy Quiz

Verbal feedback

Appendix 3: Scientific Concepts

Establishing a solid understanding of the scientific concepts required for the day Appendix 4: Tools and Materials

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Sourcing materials (and possible alternatives)

Appendix 5: Further Issues for Discussion

Frequently Asked Questions about Photovoltaic Cells

Appendix 6: Risk Assessment

Appendix 7: Energy Workshop Feedback Form

Using this guide The overall objective of this guide is to create confidence in facilitators to enable skills to be spread further. More specifically, this guide is as an aid to workshop facilitators: • To set up and administer workshops effectively • To do that as safely as possible – safety issues are highlighted in red throughout this guide • To deliver workshops that are fun and interesting o By setting out a range of techniques including games and exercises to help students gain the maximum understanding o By suggesting ways in which the bigger issues of energy and the impacts on the environment can be brought into the workshop The guide starts with a ‘Workshop Outline’ flow diagram which sets out a suggested structure for a workshop. This is followed by notes that give more detail about organising and running the workshop. At the end of the guide are several appendices with supplemental information. The main body of this guide will cover building a 12W solar phone charger with a laptop carry case. There are other types of DIY solar panel that can be made, and other workshops that DEE (and other organisations) are able to run – you’ll find copies of guides covering previous workshops that we have run on the DEE website. Keeping the Guide Updated No workshop structure should be set in stone and facilitators should adapt it to their own needs perhaps by doing things in a different sequence or by missing some elements out or adding others in. It is hoped that the guide will be amended over time to reflect the experience of facilitators who are running workshops. DEE will run occasional workshop review sessions to bring facilitators together to develop skills and share best practice. DEE uses a shared online folder to share resources and guides needed for running their workshops – contact info@dee.org.uk to gain access to this folder. If you have come up with a new way of explaining or demonstrating something, a new game or a good response to a common question – you can add these to the guide by going to the folder and updating the live version. As it is an evolving document – make sure your updates are clearly indicated so that they can be easily compared with previous versions. Please include comments explaining any changes made. The guide is designed to be used alongside the video tutorials on the Demand Energy Equality website and the ‘DIY Solar PV Handbook’ and these are referenced throughout the guide. Note: This guide reflects the latest iteration in the construction of DIY photovoltaic panels as practiced by Demand Energy Equality. Because we occasionally introduce new materials and construction methods, and because we tend to allow facilitators scope to try out new facilitation practices, the guide may not always follow the same sequence as the either video tutorials or the handbook, and may not exactly reflect the content of current workshops. Contact DEE if you need an update on any recent changes.

General points on running workshops Pitching A key skill for facilitators to develop is how to judge at what level to pitch the delivery of workshops and not to make the technical information too overwhelming. At the same time, you do want to stretch people a little so that they are acquiring new knowledge and learning new skills. The best sign that you are getting it right is that everyone is engaged in what you talking about (looking at you and asking questions) – so watch out if some individuals are very silent – it could mean you are talking over their heads. Alternatively you may have the odd individual who is very knowledgeable or skilled – so keep them engaged by using them – get them to explain points or help less skilled individuals. Timing Approximate timings are given in the workshop outline – assuming a workshop which lasts 7 hours including breaks and lunch (don’t forget them!). Inevitably, workshops don’t always start on time or some technical problem causes a delay. So it is useful to have in your head which activities can be missed out or sped up (e.g. introductory games) and what activities must not be rushed or missed out (e.g. learning how to solder). Keep an eye out for participants that are struggling to keep up with the rest of the group, and be ready to give them extra attention to help keep everyone together. Try to avoid a very rushed ending as a lot of good work can be messed up by a careless mistake because people are rushing. Our current solar charger design has proven to be reasonably simple to make, but ultimately it's more important that everyone finishes with a working charger than a perfect charger.

Workshop flowchart

Before the workshop

Introduction and theory The first hour of the workshop – start with whole group sitting in a circle

Move to the workstations and plug in soldering irons so they can be heating up

Construction At each new stage wait for everyone to catch up, then bring the group together to give a demonstration – perhaps at a separate table From now on the participants are generally working at their own speed with your aid

Workshop Notes Before the workshop Workshop admin Whoever is organising the workshop (this will generally be the DEE workshop coordinator) should be able to provide a list of participants with their contact details. Check any relevant emails re: workshop, venue and attendees. Make sure there are suitable refreshments to keep workshop participants going through the day: tea, coffee, biscuits, milk, etc. The facilitator should bring a laptop if possible, but it's not essential Insurance/personal injury: DEE does carry public liability, personal injury and professional indemnity insurance for workshop facilitators working under its auspices but you should clarify this with the DEE workshops coordinator before the date of any workshop. There may be procedures that need to be followed to make sure insurance policies apply to any activities carried out (e.g. always take into account site health and safety considerations). Professional indemnity insurance covers you if a participant sues you for providing inaccurate/misleading information or advice. If you are facilitating a workshop for another organisation you need to be clear if they have personal injury and professional indemnity insurance of their own. If you are facilitating a non-DEE workshop with no insurance cover you should ask all participants to sign a waiver form saying that they taking part at their own risk. Risk Assessment: You should carry out a risk assessment before the workshop to identify potential hazards. A standard risk assessment form is shown in Appendix 6, that will need to be signed by the person leading the workshop before starting. Potential hazards and safety points are highlighted in red throughout these facilitator’s notes. Workshop preparation

These are our suggestions for how to set up a workshop. Ideally the venue for your workshop should have good lighting and sufficient space to ensure participants can move about without knocking into each other. For summer workshops, it is helpful if there is easy access to the outside for the testing of panels in unrestricted daylight. Safety: A source of water nearby is important for the emergency treatment of burns. Check with the event organiser that the venue is accessible by wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. If not, be sure to ask all workshop participants about their accessibility needs. If working outside some kind of shelter from the wind is essential as PV cells can blow around. There needs to be an electrical supply sufficient to power all the soldering irons. Safety: You need to be able to keep all electrical equipment dry in the event of rain. Ideally the workshop should be laid out with groups working on tables or benches with plenty of space for each participant to work comfortably without disturbing their neighbours and for people to move around the room while the workshop is happening. A four socket electrical extension lead needs to be laid to each group. Each extension should be plugged into a different wall outlet. Heat guns should be limited to 2 per extension lead to avoid blowing fuses, and overall usage will need to be limited according to the current capacity of the power source being used. Safety: The socket end of extension leads should be secured with gaffer taped to the table (either the top or a leg). Where possible the lead should be gaffer taped to the floor to reduce trip hazards (or lay a rug over the lead). 7

Each of the work stations should have: ◦ a soldering iron in a soldering stand with a damp sponge ◦ a flux pen – if these are refillable type check that they are full ◦ small wire cutters ◦ scissors ◦ small nose pliers ◦ a heat gun ◦ heat-proof gloves ◦ a screwdriver It's always a good idea to have a couple of spares of each tool at a workshop in case of breakages or defects. Safety: Take care in the arrangement of soldering iron leads so that they are not in danger of dragging across a neighbouring work station. Recognise that flux is an irritant so avoid direct contact with your hands when refilling flux pens (wear gloves if you have cuts or abrasions on your skin or if you have sensitive skin) and rinse off your hands asap once you’re done. Each participant should have: ◦ a sheet of UV resistant polycarbonate ◦ approx 40g of pre-cut 1/8th size PV cells (includes allowance for breakages) ◦ lengths of tabbing wire (approximately double the length of a cell) ◦ two sheets of EVA cut slightly larger than the polycarbonate sheet ◦ a laptop carry case ◦ two terminal blocks ◦ two short lengths of flex wire ◦ A USB voltage converter The whole workshop will also need: ◦ a couple of digital multimeters ◦ a grow lamp and glass-topped table for testing ◦ a white board or flip chart ◦ liquid flux ◦ extra solder ◦ extra EVA for patching holes ◦ a stanley knife ◦ 12V equipment for demonstrating panels – amp & speakers, lights, etc Starting the workshop: Introduction and theory During this period you will be working with the whole group and it can be useful to start away from the tables and workstations if space allows – ideally sat in a circle. Introductions and housekeeping In the first 20 minutes you will be doing introductory activities and providing housekeeping information. The aim is to make participants feel at ease with the people they are working with, well-orientated and comfortable in the workshop space, and setting out a structure about how the day should work. Doing an introductory game (see ideas for games in Appendix 2) can be an important way to establish a fun and nonthreatening atmosphere to work in.

Introduce yourself and any co-facilitators, and give a summary of the different sections of the workshop to give participants a rough idea of what to expect. This is a good point to briefly introduce a bit of Demand Energy Equality’s philosophy. (see Appendix 1) Basic concepts This is the main theoretical section of the workshop and should be pitched at the level of participants. A suggested narrative for introducing each of the concepts is provided in Appendix 3, but you should make an effort to create your own personalised structure for introducing participants to the theory behind the practical part of the workshop. Making it fun is key to people gaining an understanding of the basic concepts and a couple of alternatives for games are suggested in Appendix 2. Learning points By the end of this stage participants should have the beginning of an understanding of: ● The meanings of the terms voltage, current and power and what units are used to measure them, and how they relate to solar cells ● That the amount of current generated is determined by the surface area of the cell ● That a series circuit is like a chain and the current is constrained by the size of each cell – so the amount of current flowing through the smallest cell will limit the current for the whole panel – hence the need for them to be about the same size. ● That in a series circuit the current flowing through each cell is the same but the voltage is summed. ● How the voltage and current output of our panels will determine what we can do with them There will be further opportunities to consolidate the understanding of these points as the workshop progresses. You might try to identify any participants that would benefit from a bit of one-to-one explanation. There may also be participants with a lot of expertise who you can use to help those with less. Explanation of risks Safety needs to be everyone’s responsibility and so your job is to make people aware of the risks and how they can be minimised while at the same time not making people scared of the soldering irons. It is good to do this before people move to the workstations and start fiddling with the tools and materials. Safety points: The main sources of danger are the soldering irons and we use 80W irons that get significantly hotter than standard soldering irons. Point out: ● the parts of the iron that get hot and to emphasise the need to handle them with care. ● not to grab an iron if it is dropped on the floor. ● putting burns under running cold water for several minutes is a simple and very effective means of reducing injuries and is the only treatment recommended by the NHS. The NHS also don’t recommend using any creams or dressings but say burns are best left exposed to dry out. ● though the soldering irons have heat resistant cables it is possible to burn through them which would cause an electrical hazard. ● liquid flux is an irritant, and participants should avoid contacting it. If it gets in your eyes or mouth wash it out immediately. Wash hands after use – give a reminder before breaking for lunch and at the end of the workshop. 9

Introducing the tools and materials Move everyone to the workstations at the tables. Check if you have any left-handed participants and that they have a left-handed soldering iron stand. Ask people to plug their soldering irons in so they can start heating up. Go through what each item is for. ● Start with the piece of PV cell – get people to break it to appreciate how fragile it is. Emphasise that everyone breaks them at some point – so don’t get anxious. ● Show them the materials – the PV cells, pre-cut lengths of tabbing wire, flux pens and explain their use. ● Refer to the other materials they will be using later – polycarbonate and EVA Some participants may want to know how to obtain the materials and how much they cost, either to make more panels for themselves or to run their own workshops. DEE doesn't have materials available for general sale, but if they email info@dee.org.uk we can usually arrange to provide the materials needed, or at least provide guidance on where similar materials can be obtained. See the list of tools and materials in Appendix 4 for more info. How to Solder This is the key skill that people need to learn so make sure everyone is around the table and paying attention. Take your time to demonstrate good technique to participants by soldering a piece of tabbing wire to a cell. Describing what you are doing and why - as you do it – this helps people remember the key learning points. Learning Points Key points for participant to observe are: ● Making sure the tabbing wire is flat and straight – kinks can be smoothed out by drawing the wire between your finger nails. ● Keeping surfaces to be joined as free from acidic skin oils as possible by not handling unnecessarily ● Removing dirt and oxidation by applying flux ● Ensuring that the surfaces to be joined are heated to a sufficient temperature to allow the solder to flow (which is aided by the flux). This can be achieved by holding the soldering iron on a point to allow heat to build up until you can see the solder melting before wiping the tip slowly along the tabbing wire ● Holding the soldering iron vertically so that the flat tip has maximum contact with the tabbing wire (see photo below). ● Slowly drawing the soldering iron along the tabbing wire (learning the right speed is a trial and error process). It should be possible to see the solder go shiny as it melts and then forms a wave as the soldering iron is drawn along the tabbing wire. ● Keeping the soldering iron tip clean by wiping it on the wet sponge (or rubbing on the emery cloth).

Good technique

Not so good technique

Point out common soldering errors: ● Forgetting to apply flux ● Not holding the soldering iron long enough on one spot for the tabbing wire and cell below to heat up ● Not holding the soldering iron vertically ● Wiping the soldering iron repeatedly along the tabbing wire (this can remove the solder) – it is better to just do one slow stroke. ● Not cleaning the tip of the soldering iron regularly enough. ● Breaking cells by mishandling them or applying too much force with the soldering iron. ● Tabbing wire running over the edge of the cell Safety points: The main sources of danger are the soldering irons – show participants how to hold the soldering iron well up the handle and to place the iron back in the stand when not in use. Tabbing wire contains lead and flux is toxic so encourage participants to wash their hands before handling food etc. As a facilitator ensure you bring everyone in the group together at each stage of construction to demonstrate how to carry out that step, with clear instructions on how to use the tools and materials. Continue to walk around the room checking how people are getting on and quality control their work. If you don’t do this, you are likely to find some participants may pick up bad techniques that will make for a poor quality or non-functional panel requiring extensive corrections later on in the workshop, making your job as facilitator much more difficult.

Building the panel Summary of the construction process

Step 1: Solder tabbing wire to the Step 2: Lay EVA on polycarbonate Step 3: Apply enough heat to EVA top of cells sheet and arrange cells face down to stick cells down

Step 4a: Tim tabbing wire tails

Step 4b: Solder tabbing wire tails Step 4c: Test the voltage on each to the backs of cells row and correct errors

Step 5a: Connect each row of cells Step 5b: Test voltage and current Step 6: Encapsulate cells with together (cross-tabbing) of whole panel second sheet of EVA

Step 7: Bind solar panel to laptop Step 8: Attach USB voltage carry case converter 12

Completed solar charger

The participants now need to apply what you have shown them and be taken through the steps of constructing the panels. Text in green gives pointers to avoid common errors. Step 1: Soldering tabbing wire to the top of the cells Participants will need to become confident at soldering and build up a stock of cells with tabbing wire on one side. So this is a time to be moving around checking and providing advice. This is also the time when some people will get frustrated if they have difficulties soldering. So remind them of the key points to effective soldering and talk them through it as they do it. Occasionally there are faulty soldering irons that don’t get hot enough - so do check. Participants should tab at least 2 additional spare cells each to replace possible breakages. Participants who finish quickly should be encouraged to tab more cells to help others finish. ● Point out the need to avoid shorting the circuit by not soldering too close to the edge of the cell. ● Emphasise the need to not put too much pressure on the cells as they are likely to crack. ● Check that cells have conductive contacts on the back before soldering tabbing wire to the front. ● Tabs on cells should line up when it comes to connecting them in columns. Safety points: The main sources of danger are the soldering irons – keep participants aware of how they are holding soldering irons and ensure they place them back in the stands when not in use. Point out that the stands get hot. Remind them not to trail cables across each other or wave the soldering irons about. Step 2: Preparing the polycarbonate and placing the cells This step will involve showing participants how to arrange the tabbed cells on their panel to connect them in series to create a continuous string (or “snake”). Explain that polycarbonate is UV-resistant in one direction, so it's important to attach the cells to the side with the white protective film. Leave the film with the red writing on for now. You may need to cut/trim sheets of EVA to use – they should be slightly larger than the polycarbonate sheets, with a margin of around 5mm on each edge. Lay the EVA on the side of the polycarbonate that the white film was removed from, then arrange the cells face down on top of it with the tails bent slightly up. There should be a clearly visible gap between each cell (~2mm) and a gap at the top and bottom of each column (~5-10mm). It can be useful to have a grid drawn out on a sheet of paper to aid the correct arrangement of the cells. You will need to spell out how each row runs in the opposite direction to its neighbours to complete the series circuit (this provides an opportunity to explain series circuits again). The tabbing wire tails from each cell will need to line up with the conductive contacts on the back of the next cell – some cells have their conductive strips off-set to one side, so make sure all the cells in a row all have their tails and conductive contacts in alignment. ● Point out the need to avoid shorting the circuit by not having cells touching each other. ● Check that the EVA and cells are on the correct side of the polycarbonate, and that the white protective film has been removed. ● Check that participants are laying out rows of cells running in opposite directions – failure to do so can waste a lot of time and materials. ● Check that contact points for soldering tabbing wire tails are all lined up properly. ● Check each cell for cracks or poor soldering before placing it. Step 3: Heating the EVA to stick the cells This step will involve showing participants how to stick cells to the sheet of polycarbonate using heated EVA. Use the heat gun to apply heat to the EVA. As it heats it should turn transparent and become sticky. If 13

the EVA is creased or folded, it may be necessary to carefully apply a little pressure to the edges of each cell as they heat up to make sure they are stuck flat on the polycarbonate. Once the heat is removed, the EVA will cool and cells will remain bonded. It's not necessary to apply a lot of heat at this stage – just enough to fix the cells in place to allow the tabbing wire tails to be soldered. ● Point out that if cells crack after they've been stuck down, you will need to use the heat gun to loosen the EVA bond before you can remove the broken cell. If the cell is removed while the EVA is cool, it will fragment into lots of tiny pieces which are time-consuming to remove. ● The easiest way to remove a cell is to use a thin blade to carefully lift the cell off once the EVA is hot. ● Once a cell has been removed, you may need to use an extra patch of EVA to fill any holes – it's essential to have some spare EVA offcuts to hand for this purpose. ● Overheating → overly stuck down and then difficult to remove later Safety points: the metal nozzles of heat guns can get very hot, especially on the high setting or with sustained use. Similar safety issues with soldering irons. Be careful not to point them towards people or anything that would be damaged by heat, and when finished with them always place the heat gun with the nozzle resting on a non-flammable surface (e.g. the tile on a soldering station). EVA overhanging the polycarbonate sheet can become stuck to the work surface when heated – check that it won't cause damage when picking the panel up - move slowly! A note on cracks Everyone who does these workshops breaks cells at some point and this is a guide to whether to replace cells that get cracked. Early in the construction process before cells are stuck down and connected together you can afford to be fairly conservative and to discard most cells that get cracked. But once they are connected together it is a time consuming job to strip off the tabbing wire and to remove the cell. This a quick visual guide to help you decide whether to replace a cracked cell.

Less than 10% broken off – OK

More than 10% broken off - REPLACE

Minor crack away from conductor strip – OK

Minor horizontal crack - OK

Long crack parallel to conductor strip – if the crack propagates half the cell would be lost - REPLACE

Long crack across conductor strip – this is OK providing there is tabbing wire across the crack on both sides (it effectively becomes a parallel connection) but check for shorting

Step 4: Tabbing the other side of the cells Once the tabbed cells are stuck to the polycarbonate the tails can be soldered onto the backs of adjacent cells to connect them in series. You should now demonstrate how to trim the tabbing wire tails to the

right length using small wire cutters and how to solder them to the back of the next cell. Show how it is possible to use the tip of a pair of scissors to the hold the tabbing wire in place while it is being soldered. Cells at the end of each row will need an extra strip of tabbing wire soldered to their backs. ● Remind participants of the need to avoid shorting the circuit by not soldering too close to the edge of the cell, and to avoid putting too much pressure on the cells as they are likely to crack. ● If cells crack at this stage, they will need to be de-soldered from adjacent cells before they can be removed from the EVA as above. ● Check tabbing wire is firmly soldered by using a fingernail to try to lift it from the cell. Loose connections are likely to fail when the cells are encapsulated. ● Make sure to test each row of cells before moving on to the next stage (see Testing the panel below). ● EMPHASISE -- go slowly as breakages now are v annoying - as a facilitaotr this will save you time and effort later Testing the panel It can be useful at this point to bring everyone together so that you can demonstrate how to test the partially completed panel before it is encapsulated and sealed up. Wherever possible get participants to actually do the testing with the multimeter under your direction. This is best done in bright sunshine outside but in some circumstances it can be carried out over a high wattage grow lamp placed under a glass-topped table. The handbook and the videos give detailed descriptions of how to test the voltage of each column and the entire panel to find shorts and other errors. It is good practice to get participants to suggest what the voltage should be before testing each element – get them to count up cells – adding the voltage together as they are tested. This is your opportunity to really consolidate participants’ understanding of voltage. Once the voltage has been tested, also measure the current of each panel to get a comparison between each one. ● Point out the need to get the probe wires connected to the correct terminals on the multimeter and to make a good contact between the probes and the tabbing wires on the panel in order to get a correct reading. Seeing the impact of orientation and shading – understanding a series circuit When testing a panel using a light source, having tested the panel and ensured that there are no shorts, connect the panel directly to a 12v sound system and demonstrate that it can power the system. See what happens when the panel is tipped out of the optimum orientation – the sound diminishes/cuts out. If you include a multimeter in the circuit you can also measure the current in the circuit. Now see what happens when the panel is partially shaded by covering a cell with your hand – the sound is lost. Seek explanations from the participants. The correct explanation is that in the shaded cells the current is no longer flowing and because this is a series circuit this prevents any current from flowing through the entire panel. This demonstration can also lead to a discussion about the positioning of the panel to get the maximum output. Step 5: Cross tabbing Use a piece of tabbing wire to connect each row – this is an opportunity to really consolidate the understanding of what a series circuit is and how the electricity will flow through it. The cross-tabbing should run between columns either just inside or just outside of the polycarbonate.

Trim the tabbing wire on the end of the columns to be connected, then create a small hook into which the tabbing wire for the cross-tabbing can be inserted. Crimp the hook together firmly around the cross-tabbing, then solder the tabbing wires together at the crimped joint. You should also solder short (~5cm) lengths of flex wire to the positive and negative terminals of the panel. ● Point out the need to connect rows together in a continuous chain – starting from one end and finishing at another. Check for people connecting the tops and bottoms of two rows together to create a loop. ● Use the end of a pair of scissors under the cross tabbing joints when soldering to provide a firm base and avoid melting the polycarbonate. ● Make sure to test the output of the whole panel before moving on to the next stage (see Testing the panel above). Safety points: The main sources of danger are the soldering irons – keep participants aware of how they are holding soldering irons and ensure they place them back in the stands when not in use. Point out that the stands get hot. Remind them not to trail cables across each other or wave the soldering irons about. Learning points By the end of this stage participants should understand: ● What causes a short circuit and how to avoid shorts ● How to use a multimeter to test a circuit for shorts They should now have a good grasp of: ● What a series circuit is and how the current flows through it

Step 6: Encapsulation Use a second sheet of trimmed EVA over the backs of the cells to encapsulate the panel. This is the point where you can explain the need to avoid galvanic corrosion to ensure longevity of the panel. Use the heat gun on a high setting to seal the cells and tabbing wires – it usually takes around 5 mins to get the EVA up to the right temperature, by which point it will look clear and glossy. ● All cells should be totally encapsulated – make sure there are no edges sticking out. ● The application of heat at this stage may break poorly soldered connections as the metal expands – this can cause the panel to perform poorly, or even break it entirely. It's very important to ensure all soldered joints are good before this stage. ● When using the high heat setting, ensure that the heat gun is constantly moving to avoid creating a hot spot and warping the polycarbonate. ● As a facilitator be prepared to go around the room testing how “sticky” the EVA is as people will get bored heating up the EVA Step 7: Bonding the panel into the neoprene case At this point, the panel can be bonded into the neoprene carry case. This step usually follows directly on from the previous step. Use the heat gun on a high setting until the EVA is very hot, then quickly place the panel face up into one side of the neoprene case, fold the other side of the case over it, and apply sustained even pressure to it from above. The goal is to allow the hot, semi-liquid EVA to soak into the foam of the case before it cools. The hot EVA will take a few minutes to completely cool, so pressure will need to be applied until it has solidified enough to create a firm bond. You may find that the corners of the panel are still somewhat loose – you can reapply heat to the corners of the panel and bind them to the case separately, or use a hot glue gun to reinforce the corners. ● It takes quite a bit of patience to get an effective bond, the more time spent getting the EVA hot and then waiting for it to cool, the better. If the bond doesn't take first time, you can re-heat the EVA and try again. ● Make sure that you have everything laid out with enough room to lay the panel into the laptop case quickly, before it starts to cool down. ● It's best to arrange the panel with the terminal wires at the hinge of the case. Step 8: Attach USB DC-DC voltage converter Use a 3A terminal block on each wire coming from the panel to connect to a USB DC-DC voltage converter, which steps the 12V output of the panel down to 5V for charging USB devices. ● Check that the red wire of the DC converter is connected to the positive terminal from the battery, and the black wire to the negative. ● Test the output of the panel by connecting a USB device to ensure that it charges. Learning points By the end of this stage participants should have an understanding of: ● How orientation and positioning can affect the output of a PV panel ● What the terms series circuit, voltage, current and power mean ● What galvanic corrosion means and how to minimise it

Summing up It is important to ensure there is enough time at the end of the workshop to get together and check out how everyone has got on. ● Has anyone missed out on a part of the process and needs to be filled in about what they have missed? You could get some participants who did that part to describe what they did – this will help them remember what it was all about. ● Are there things that people still do not understand? Getting participants to explain is often helpful. ● Has anyone got any final burning questions? – see Appendix 5 for FAQs on solar PV If any participants want to know how to obtain the materials and how much they cost, either to make more panels for themselves or to run their own workshops, ask them to email info@dee.org.uk with any requests. It is helpful to point out that bigger DIY PV projects would need to be set up in a system with a controller, battery etc and that they can use the information on the website to see how to do this and/or attend a DEE off grid workshop. Feedback Hand out feedback forms for people to complete before leaving. It is essential to get feedback from participants about how the workshop went for them. It will help you get better at running workshops. A standard DEE feedback questionnaire is shown in Appendix 7. This feedback data is consolidated and used to improve our workshops and can be useful when applying for funding. It can also be useful to get the participants together at the end of the day and ask them each to give some quick verbal feedback about the day (good and bad). It is particularly important to have verbal forms of feedback where a group might include individuals with poor levels of literacy. See verbal feedback suggestions in Appendix 2. Take a group photo of participants with their completed panels! Hand out flyers. Pack all tools and unused materials away at the end of the workshop, and be sure to leave the space at least as tidy as when you arrived.

Appendix 1: About Demand Energy Equality Providing some context to Demand Energy Equality, its aims and its wider work Demand Energy Equality started (officially) in Bristol in summer 2012. Before that, the founding director, Dan had been running DIY solar workshops in Bristol for a year or so. The first major project DEE completed was the building of the Solar Tree with the participation of 70 Bristolians, ranging from individuals to community organisations. The aims of Demand Energy Equality are, simply, to: Increase energy literacy Reduce energy demand Work with others to ensure equality of energy access What could ‘energy literate’ mean? Well - clearly, there’s too much out there for any one person to know. But what we can do is attempt to achieve a basic level of understanding in workshop participants relating to the headlines of our energy predicament, coupled with a grasp of some of the main tensions that exist between, for example, climate change, energy security and fuel poverty/energy inequality, and an idea of what solutions might look like. These aims do not just apply to public workshops where individuals pay to learn how to build DIY solar, or get an introduction to off-grid systems. We also run workshops with community groups, campaign groups and (soon, we hope!) in schools - amongst others. Each time we’re engaging a different audience who have differing relationships to energy and energy use. Another example of our work is the partnership with the Bristol Drugs Project with whom we run regular DIY solar workshops, contributing to both the Energy Tree installation in central Bristol, and to smaller installs on community projects around Bristol. The Bristol Drugs Project also participated in the first Solar Tree project. The Energy Tree is itself an educational tool for the wider public, people who will never set foot in a workshop, and will hopefully become a permanent exhibit at At-Bristol, providing a focal point for their energy-related programmes. Demand Energy Equality has also recently started writing reports, using research done by one of the directors (Dan) into the implications of balancing future electricity systems with a highly renewable generation capacity, and increasing amounts of heat and transport demand moved onto electricity (i.e. away from gas boilers and petrol engines). This work currently operates at a totally different level to the practical workshops, but we want to find ways to marry this technical work with public and group workshops in the future. Throughout the work we do, we want to convey the importance of reducing energy demand to enable renewable energy systems in the future, and the necessity to establish fairer and more just approaches to providing energy, that do not leave people in fuel poverty. One of the original motivations for establishing DEE’s solar workshops was the financially regressive impact of the Feed-In Tariff (the existing subsidy regime for solar PV installations), basically a ‘reverse Robin Hood’ tax which funded subsidies for wealthier consumers with the capital to invest in solar installations with bill levies. Those who couldn’t afford the upfront cost of the panels were not able to access the subsidy, and thus transferred wealth ‘upwards’. We aim to work, as much as possible, with lower-income groups, and revenue from our public workshops helps us to develop opportunities to do so.

A Theory of Change – the Demand Energy Equality Philosophy Demand Energy Equality believes that in order to achieve a fair energy system people need to be better educated about energy: what it is, where it comes from, how it relates to their needs and desires, who controls it, where the money is made, what ecological constraints we face, where energy might come from in the future. And what they can do about it. We do not believe that those on the lowest incomes will be adequately assisted or protected by future energy policy in the UK. At worst, we believe they will continue to be exploited and dis-empowered. Our theory of change is one of empowerment: 1. First, we aim to inform and educate people about energy, giving them the confidence and expertise to understand it as more than an abstract concept. Through this knowledge we begin to enable people to take action to reduce the negative impact accessing energy has on their autonomy and vulnerability, primarily through reducing their demand where possible. 2. Second, we aim to inspire people to take an interest in the contexts in which they access their energy, and in which energy inequality exists. These contexts include energy inequality & poverty, climate change and peak fossil fuels: each will inform the primary necessity of energy demand reduction to deal with the oncoming energy crisis. 3. Third, we aim to engage people in grassroots solutions and actions aimed at bringing control of energy generation, distribution and use closer to the households and communities that use that energy. This will range from DIY & open-source hardware, domestic energy saving measures or local or national campaigns informed by a greater understanding of energy politics. 4. Fourth, we aim to facilitate and support a skill & knowledge share model to enable individuals and groups to establish the confidence to own and pass on learned knowledge and skills, and to be better placed to organise and empower themselves. 5. Fifth, we aim to constantly develop and support this movement through continued open-source resource development, open-source source hardware and technology innovation, research into energy policy and infrastructure change and appropriate solutions-based critiques of current trends that disrupt dominant discourses. Through each of these five steps we hope to build a capable, inspired, self-sufficient movement of engaged individuals and households ready to meet the oncoming energy crisis as best as possible: more informed, better skilled and therefore more empowered than before.

Appendix 2: Games and Group Activities Introductory Games The purpose of an introductory game is to familiarise participants with each other and the facilitators and to link this to a bit of information about each person (which helps people remember names). Using a game at the start of the workshop also helps set the tone – everyone is important and can contribute – this is going to be fun and interesting. Simple go round Each person (including the facilitators) takes a turn to say their name and to say something that has happened to them in the last day or week. So you might ask everyone to describe: “The most exciting thing that happened to them in the last week” or “What they had for breakfast”. It is also useful to know: “How they heard about the workshops.” Take care when choosing what you ask of participants. For example with groups from particular backgrounds where it might be inappropriate to ask for anything that ‘exposes’ their personal circumstances. Throwing a ball (or a beanbag, or a hat) Get participants to throw a ball to someone else in the group, the catcher of the ball has to introduce themselves to the group (as above). After everyone has had a turn, people continue to throw the ball but now the thrower has to say the name of the catcher (or to ask for the name of the catcher). Go round with key information Sometimes you don’t know much about the group and it can be useful to get a bit more real information about their level of expertise. So for instance you might ask participants to give their name and “How they want to use what they learn today.” This indirectly will give you some idea of expertise. A direct question about what they know can make some people feel inadequate and lower their confidence. The shoe game This is a quick icebreaker activity. All players stand in a tight circle. Look down and pick another player's shoes. On a count of 3, everyone looks up at the person whose shoes they picked. If the person is looking back at them, give a loud shout and jump back out of the circle. Repeat for anyone left in the circle until there is only 1 (or 2) players left. Games to demonstrate basic principles The black standard text describes the physical actions for the participants. The blue italic text sets out the explanatory words used by the facilitator. Resistance game: current, voltage, power Most participants form a loose group representing copper atoms in a wire. A participant in partnership with the facilitator represent the electrical current, they each carry a tray or handful of tennis balls representing several volts. So me and my partner represent the current - as we are two units passing a point in a second we represent a current of two amps and we each have the same number of tennis balls so we each have a voltage of x.

They link arms and move at a steady pace through the group of copper atoms pushing through them trying to maintain their speed (but as they do so they will probably drop some balls). We are having some problems moving through you lot representing the copper atoms. We are dropping some of our balls – so we are losing a bit of our voltage. So let’s try this again. I am going to give my balls to my partner so we now have a current and voltage of? Hopefully get answer of 1 amp at 2x volts. Previously we had 2 amps at 1x volts. Let’s see what happens. Now one participant carrying all the balls moves between the copper atoms. It is easy and fewer balls are dropped. So a lower current at a higher voltage moves more easily through the wire with little drop in the voltage. Resistive losses and voltage drops are major problem in low voltage circuits. The National Grid operates at very high voltage for this reason. Power is current times voltage. (write up on white board) We measure power in Watts. In both of our examples we have a power of? Hopefully get the answer of 2x watts. Water Flow game: current, voltage, power This is an alternative to the Resistance Game – it would be confusing to do both games. Electricity is a flow of negatively charged particles called electrons. If we think of this flow as analogous to a flow of water then the quantity of water passing one point in a second would be the ‘current’ (measured in Amperes or Amps). Water flowing through a pipe is like electrons passing along a copper wire. Lay out two lines of chairs with a narrow gap between (just wide enough for one person to pass between) – this represents a pipe or a wire. Ask participants to represent the electrons- they might jump about as they are excited. They then walk between the chairs (and around in a circle back to where they started and so on) – the number of people passing a particular point in a second represents the ‘current’. Why does water flow? (because it is falling or because it being pumped) This is equivalent to voltage – a voltage difference is what ‘pushes’ the electrons along a wire – you could think of voltage as electrical pressure. Increasing the voltage makes the current flow ‘faster’. In our analogy if we increased the ‘pressure’ on the electrons they might flow faster. Ask one or two participants (representing voltage) to push the others to make them move faster between the chairs – they may bump into each other or crash into the chairs. So the size of the pipe (or wire) may restrict the flow of water (or electrons) – this is resistance and might generate heat – but you are moving faster representing a higher current. So how might we reduce the resistance? (move the chairs further apart or make the wire/pipe bigger) So how can we use this current? The facilitator stands at the far end of the rows of chairs with their arms stuck out. The participants are asked to move between the chairs and as they push through the facilitator’s arms – the facilitator rotates (like a water wheel). So now the flow of electrons is doing some work (rotating a wheel) – the amount of effort or power that is required to make me turn is measured in Watts. 22

If we want to charge a battery we need our flow of electrons at a higher ‘pressure’ – a higher voltage than the battery – to push the electrons into the battery. Summing up: We have a flow of electrons – CURRENT – measured in Amps We have electrical pressure – VOLTAGE – measured in Volts And we have potential to do work – POWER – measured in Watts The relationship between the three is: Amps x Volts = Watts There are many additional resources on the internet such as this short film about voltage and resistance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYS9kdS56l8 Generation and Demand game This is a game to demonstrate what PV panels could be used to power and to start to understand energy demand. Give each participant a piece of paper. Half the participants are told they are going to be PV panels like the ones we are going to build. Ask them to write on their piece of paper what their maximum power output is going to be in Watts (12W). The other participants are going to be electrical appliances (you might choose those that are in the room) but it is useful to include at least some of the following: mobile phone charger – 5W a CFL bulb – 11W an LED light – 3W

laptop computer – 40W kettle – 2500W

You could just write up the list of appliances on the white board with the power requirement. However time allowing, it can be a useful learning experience to ask the participants to look at the labels on the appliances to find out what wattage they require. In some instances they will need to do the sum amps x volts to get power requirement. Ask these participants to write down their appliance and power requirement on their piece of paper. Each appliance takes a turn to see how many panels it needs to meet its power requirement (the kettle clearly has a problem). Discuss the type of appliance and their power requirement. Now introduce the idea of storing the electricity in a battery. Ask each ‘PV panel’ to think about how many hours they might be generating at full power on a summer’s day and others to think about a winter’s day. They need to do the sum hours x watts to get watt hours. This is what they can put into a battery in a day. The ‘appliances ‘need to work out how many hours they will be used in an ordinary day and do the sum hours x watts to get watt hours. This is what they need to take out of a battery in a day. Each appliance takes a turn to see how many panels it needs to meet its energy demand (the kettle clearly still has a problem). Appliances might want to get together to see if a combination of them can have their energy demand met. Discuss the type of appliance and their energy requirement. Highlight that power (kilowatts) x time (hours) gives energy (kilowatt hours). This is an opportunity to make the point that minimising demand is much easier that generating energy. Depending on the group you may also be able to get into a discussion about when you need the energy and when you can generate it.

Energy Quiz As part of the solar tree project, DEE created an energy quiz with simple multiple choice questions covering various energy-related topics, as a way of broadening people’s thinking on current and future energy policy. During a break in the workshop, e.g. while everyone is having lunch, try asking participants questions from the quiz. Get each person to pick a question to ask, and let everyone else pick which of the three answers is correct. This should prompt some discussion of the issue. Verbal feedback This has the disadvantage of being in front of everyone but is useful in that it provides instant feedback and might be easier for anyone with literacy problems. Simple go round with positive and negatives Sit in a circle – the facilitator emphasises the importance of getting both positive and negative feedback (it is only by hearing the bad points that the facilitator can improve the workshops). Each person then takes a turn to say one good and one bad thing about the day. In pairs then go round This takes a little longer but is more likely to bring out negative points. Participants are paired up and tell each other their negative and positive points. Then everyone tells the whole group their partner’s good and bad points about the day. It is very important that the facilitator is listening and accepting of criticism e.g. by saying: ‘that’s a good point’. The facilitator might also respond to the whole group (after everyone has had their say) by listing points they have heard and that they will address.

Appendix 3: Scientific Concepts Establishing a solid understanding of the scientific concepts required for the day

It is crucial that people start the day feeling confident with the basic scientific concepts the practical DIY solar building rests on. It is not essential that everybody reaches the same level of understanding, and nor it is essential that everyone is an expert in photovoltaics. What is essential is that people do have a working understanding of the following: ● the differences and relationships between energy and power ● the concepts of voltage, electrical current and power (P = IV) ● the difference between series and parallel circuits, and their different characteristics ● the specific practical requirements of our design, and the reasons for them (18V etc.) ● the basic operation of a solar cell and its characteristics Below is a suggested narrative for introducing each of the concepts. Each section starts with a question that you can choose to either ask, or use rhetorically: Why are we building a panel today? ● In order to generate electrical power. But what is electrical power? (Usually good to let people offer some ideas here) ● First make clear the relationship between energy & power. This involves explaining that energy is the ‘work’ and that by generating it we are enabled to do more things (create light, play music, operate machinery etc.) ● Power is then the measure of work done per unit of time (in the same way that speed is a measure of distance travelled per unit of time). i.e. the more powerful a process, the more work is being done (and thus energy expended) for a given amount of time. ● To calculate the power of an electrical system we need to understand the concepts of voltage and electrical current. ● Analogies are helpful here (water flows, or crews of workers etc.), as well as LINKS. If you’re unsure about these concepts, or analogies to use, just give us a shout. ● Introduce the relationship P (power, measured in ‘Watts’) = I (current, measured in ‘Amps’) x V (voltage, measured in ‘Volts’). Use the whiteboard as much as possible to accommodate different learning styles. ● Check everyone understands the concepts introduced and in particular how to calculate electrical power. How are we going to use that power? ● We could just plug appliances directly into our panel - but that means we can only use power when the sun is shining (amongst other issues). ● So we’re going to use batteries instead to store power instead. We’re going to work with USB lithium batteries (batteries that will produce electrical power at 5V), a standard voltage for electrical devices. ● In order to charge a 5V battery we need to generate power that is at at least 5V. A good analogy here is trying to drop an object onto a surface - you can drop something onto the surface if you do so from below it! Likewise, if the voltage isn’t high enough you can’t fill the battery with charge. ● But instead of building a system at 5.5V or 6V we will build a panel with an 12V maximum output and use a DC converter to step the panel voltage down to 5V. Why? ● Because it means that the panel will reach the minimum voltage and current required to charge our battery for a much wider range of sun intensities (e.g. low sun angles, cloudy days, etc). The longer we can charge for, the more energy we can use. 25

● ●

We can also use the 12V output to directly power 12V appliances if we want. Check people are happy with the ideas introduced in this section before moving on

This is a lot more relevant when installing fixed solar panels charging lead acid batteries, and not so relevant to portable USB chargers, so it's best not to dwell on this too much. If anyone's interested in understanding more about larger solar and battery systems, encourage them to go to an Intro to Off Grid workshop, or have a discussion over lunch. How do we create an 12V maximum output? ● Now introduce the cells themselves. Pass round fragments of broken cells to people and allow people to manipulate and break them in order to familiarise themselves with the material. ● Explain than each cell is rated at 0.5V, and that this depends on the thickness of the cell. The electrical current output of each cell depends on its surface area, and therefore its size. ● It is important for people to understand that no matter how small a cell is, its voltage will not change - it is the varying current that affects the power each cell can produce (P=IV). ● Explain that to reach 12V we need to combine the voltages of individual cells. To do this we need to combine the cells in series. The difference between series and parallel circuits must be explained here: how to create them, and what the outcomes are. ● As part of this, the positive and negative sides of the cell must be identified; which provides the opportunity to give a simple explanation of how solar cells function (there is a full explanation of this on the Google Drive here - otherwise get in touch with us if you want more clarification). ● Use visual aids, ideally actual pre-soldered or loose cells alongside whiteboard diagrams, to ensure people are totally clear about what is necessary to build a series circuit using solar cells. This is obviously key to being able to build a panel! ● Participants should be clear that in a series circuit using different sizes cells is not a good idea - because the ‘averaging’ effect will mean smaller cells limit the output of the larger cells. ● Now - check if people are still with you by asking people to work out the theoretical peak power output of the panel you’ll be building - 12W! After these topics have been explained provide one more opportunity for people to flag difficulties. Be explicit about welcoming questions and queries at this point; for a participant feeling like you’ve been left behind near the beginning of the session is not a good start! Finally, use the ‘copper atoms game’ described in Appendix 1 to bring the relationship of current, voltage and power together once more.

Appendix 4: Tools and Materials A full list of tools needed for a workshop with 10 participants (including spares): 12 x Antex 80W soldering irons with flat tips £15-20 each 12 x soldering stands including sponges £8-10 each 12 x refillable watercolour brush pens (for flux) £4-6 each 12 x large household scissors £3-5 each 12 x small wire cutters £3-5 each 8 x 4mm flat head electrical screwdrivers £3-5 each 8 x 2000w dual temperature heat guns £14-18 each 6 pairs heat resistant gloves £4-5 each 2 x multimeters £10-20 each 2 x stanley knives £4-6 each 1 x grow lamp (unless doing an outdoor workshop) £25-50 12 x small nose pliers (optional) £3-5 each A full list of materials needed to make 1 solar charger: ● 330mm x 264mm x 5mm UV resistant polycarbonate ● 340mm x 275mm Solar EVA Film (x2) ● 40-50g pre-cut 1/8th size PV cells (approx 78mm x 39mm) ● pre-cut lengths of 2mm tabbing wire (approx 80mm, 100mm for cross-tabbing) ● a folding neoprene carry case suitable for a 15.6" laptop ● two 3 Amp terminal blocks ● two short lengths of flex wire ● a 12v-5v DC voltage converter with a USB output Sourcing materials (and possible alternatives) Solar cells The reclaimed 15.5cm square cells that DEE has in stock are cut down into regular size pieces prior to the workshop. This removes damaged sections of the cells and makes it easier to construct a panel of modest size with a sufficient charging voltage. DEE can supply cells already cut to these sizes, but you can cut your own using a Dremel tool with a cutting wheel built into a jig to make a mini-table saw. The cutting process creates a lot of dust, debris and noise, so goggles, ear protectors, and a dust mask are essential, as well as gloves to protect against cuts. Contact us if you'd like more details on how to do this. DEE has 1kW boxes of undamaged full size Grade A cells for sale, as well as cells cut to the sizes used in our workshops (either quarters or eighths). Contact us at info@dee.org.uk with any requests. You can also find cells of various sizes and specifications being sold on eBay, which can be useful for smaller projects. Polycarbonate DEE uses 330mm x 264mm sheets of 5mm thick polycarbonate as the protective front of the solar panel. Polycarbonate is a tough, transparent plastic, that can be made UV resistant, meaning it can be left outside in sunlight for years without degrading. The polycarbonate sheets used in our DIY solar workshops are cut to size from large 1650mm x 1650mm sheets. 27

To cut polycarbonate, it's best to use a table saw, but a powerful jig saw or angle grinder with an appropriate blade or cutting disk will also do the job. As for any type of cutting work, goggles and gloves are essential. If you don't need to order in bulk, or if you don't have the time or inclination to cut up large sheets, you can order polycarbonate of various thicknesses cut to size from a website such as https://www.cutplasticsheeting.co.uk/. When ordering polycarbonate, ensure that it's UV resistant. Other types of clear plastic such as acrylic or polystyrene are not UV resistant, meaning they will discolour if left in sunlight for too long, so are unsuitable for use in solar panels. Glass can be used, but cutting it to the size for this design is difficult, and the EVA doesn't bind as firmly. For alternative designs for larger panels using reclaimed glass windows, see previous versions of DEE workshop guides. EVA Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) is used to encapsulate the cells to make them weatherproof and to bind the cells to the polycarbonate sheet and into the neoprene case. It's used for the same purpose in commercially made panels. EVA comes in rolls as a translucent film, but when heated it becomes clear and transparent. DEE uses EVA sheets cut from 1m wide rolls, that we can cut to whatever size is needed for our panels. It's not the sort of thing that is commonly available to buy, but it is possible to find smaller quantities of solar EVA film on eBay, e.g. from seller wdf061301. You can also use Qsil to encapsulate solar cells, but it wouldn't be suitable for this design. For alternative designs for larger panels using Qsil as an encapsulant, see previous versions of DEE workshop guides. Tabbing wire Tabbing wire is thin, flat conductive wire that is coated in a layer of solder. DEE has several long reels of 2mm tabbing wire that we use for our workshops, and we can supply it in various lengths. Tabbing wire can be ordered on eBay and several other websites in large and small quantities. Flux pens Flux is used to clean the surface of the metallic contacts of solar cells and to help the molten solder flow into the microscopic crevices of the material being soldered onto to create a strong bond. DEE uses liquid flux, applied with refillable watercolour brush pens. DC converters The DC voltage converter is used to step down the incoming voltage from the solar panel to a stable 5v voltage for a USB output. The DC converters DEE use are enclosed buck converters that are reasonably cheap, efficient, sturdy and waterproof, but there are plenty of other options available that do a similar job. E.g. you could wire in a cigarette lighter socket and use a plug-in USB charger... this would allow you to use the solar panel to

supply power to other 12V devices that use a cigarette lighter plug. You could also use an LM7805 voltage regulator, but it would need a decent heat sink to be used with a 12V supply for any length of time. These are all readily available from eBay and other online shops. USB Battery packs DEE recommends using a USB battery pack with a solar charger make best use of it. Having a battery pack gives you the option to store energy that you can use to recharge your devices at night, instead of only using the solar power to charge devices directly when the sun is out. In good sunlight, a 12W solar charger should be able to charge up a mobile phone or a 2000mAh battery pack in 2 hours. Bigger USB battery packs are available if you are looking for more storage.

Appendix 5: Further Issues for Discussion There are times during the workshop when participants are busy soldering but still can participate in discussion – here are few issues you might want to discuss. Access to energy technologies Since 2008, the installation of PV systems on peoples’ homes has been supported through what is called a ‘Feed in Tariff’ or FIT. The FIT pays people for every kWh of electricity they generate from their PV panel whether they use it in their home or export it to the grid. They get an additional payment for each kWh they export to the grid. Though the FIT has been significantly reduced in recent years, it initially made PV panels an attractive investment for those who could afford to install them (typical costs for system being £8-12,000) and so was only accessible to the relatively rich. Early adopters were getting as much as an 8% return on their investment because of FITs. The money to pay the FIT comes from all electricity consumers regardless of their income or whether they might actually benefit from FITs. So this is effectively a tax on everyone, including the poor, that only benefits the relatively rich (see the graph below). Is this fair?

Diffusion of FIT supported installations by wealth of household Source: Leicester, Goodier and Rowley 2011

One way poorer people have gained access to the technologies supported by the FIT is through community energy projects which have used this support mechanism to develop larger scale projects which benefit many more people in a community (e.g. Bristol Energy Coop, Brixton Energy, South East London Community Energy). Fuel poverty This is a major problem in the UK, with official figures recording more than 1 in 10 households now in fuel poverty. This means they have to spend more than 10% of their annual income on energy bills. Thousands of people die from fuel poverty every winter. Fuel poverty is the product of many factors, including the poor quality of the UK’s housing stock - some of the oldest in Western Europe. However, it is ultimately a result of wider poverty and inequality in UK society - worsened by the increases in energy prices that have been witnessed in recent years. Privatised utilities have an obligation to their shareholders to maximise profits, which does not provide an incentive to deal with fuel poverty - this is one, though not the only, structural problem that prevents us eradicating this disgrace. More broadly, we think that people need to be more empowered with respect to 30

energy, in order to be able to demand their rights and participate in creating more democratic and socially beneficial energy systems. This is what we mean when we talk about ‘equality of energy access’: not that everyone must use exactly the same amount of energy, but that access to energy to meet basic needs is a right, and the structures that deliver energy are democratically controlled. Our workshops and other work provide one starting point for engaging in these ideas. Good organisations to put people in touch with who want to get involved in action to tackle fuel poverty and poor housing are the Fuel Poverty Action and the Radical Housing Network. Links • www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/228m-british-households-now-living-in-fuel-poverty-9532501. html • www.theguardian.com/big-energy-debate/2014/sep/11/fuel-poverty-scandal-winter-deaths Climate change & energy transition Climate change is, probably, the defining issue of our time - and it’s one that is going to have very damaging consequences for global society, particularly for people living in the global south (in countries which have contributed the least historically to cumulative carbon emissions). Whether climate change is merely damaging, as opposed to truly catastrophic, is the choice we are now faced with. Preventing the worst possible outcomes means, amongst many other things, enabling the quickest possible transition to low-carbon economies. This is turn means reducing our energy demand (in the wealthy northern countries) while deploying low carbon technology on both the supply and demand side of energy systems. This transition is now, arguably, beginning to occur as the age of cheap, accessible and abundant fossil fuel resources starts drawing to a close, and regulatory regimes begin to (belatedly) tighten around conventional fossil fuel industries - driving costs up further. Simultaneously, renewables are plummeting in price - changing the economics of energy investment in fascinating ways. All of this is making lots of people pretty optimistic at the moment, such as James Murray in this BusinessGreen blog. However - this is not the whole story, and we are not in the business of pulling the wool over people’s eyes. There are, most likely, several unavoidable aspects of attempting to replace fossil fuels as a foundational pillar of the global economy that will have extremely important effects on global society. Put simply; technology does not currently offer the opportunity for a straight-swap between fossil fuel energy inputs and renewables to enable us to carry on as normal. This is turn has profound consequences. For more, we highly recommend reading this comprehensive assessment of the future of energy from Richard Heinberg of the Post Carbon Institute. Our work is very clearly related to this urgent need for transition. To enable newly deployed technologies to have a chance of meeting our ‘essential’ needs we must change habits and attitudes towards energy use - and ensure that energy is used more equitably between different sections of society. The workshops we run are part of exploring what some of the alternatives to conventional power production are - but also the realities of adapting our energy demand so they can form the basis of our future systems. Good links for people wanting to know more, and campaign for measures to address, climate change are 10:10, 350.org, Reclaim the Power and the Post Carbon Institute. Links • www.ft.com/cms/s/0/26d0edc6-628e-11e4-9838-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3TcaDSwfz 31

• •

http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/blog-post/2397219/from-cfds-to-energy-union-an-energy-revolutio n-is-underway www.postcarbon.org/our-renewable-future-essay/

Cutting demand - or renewable energy generation or nuclear power? There is fierce debate whether renewable energy or nuclear power or fracking etc. etc. is the best way to cut carbon emissions. There is very little discussion about whether reducing demand might be a cheaper and more effective compared with any generation option. Here is just one example to show the effectiveness of cutting demand. Explanation of the design of PV panels to charge 12V batteries – series circuit and voltage The amount of current measured in amps generated by a solar cell is a product of light falling on it and the area of its surface. The bigger the area of the cell exposed to bright sunshine – the bigger the current it will generate. A complete cell will generate a current of about 8 amps in bright sunshine. The voltage of the cell is relatively constant at around 0.5 volts in bright sunshine – if this cell is broken in half each fragment will generate half as much current but still at 0.5 volts. If broken again the amps will be reduced further but the volts still remain at 0.5v for each fragment. So we are going to work with cells that generate about 1 amp in bright sunshine. If these are connected together in a chain positive to negative – in series – the maximum amount of current will remain the same (1 amp) but the voltage will add up. To charge a 12 volt battery a solar panel with an open circuit voltage of around 18 volts is required, i.e. 36 cells connected together. These would be arranged in rows connecting positive (back of cell) to negative (front of cell) in a chain – a series circuit. We end up with a panel that generates a maximum of 1 amp at 18 volts, with a maximum power output of 18 watts. Though voltage is fairly constant in a PV cell – it does diminish in low sunlight so having the design voltage of panels at 18v means that the panel’s actual voltage will exceed the point where it can charge a 12v battery for more time than say a 14v panel (see the graph below).

Voltage of PV panels compared to battery voltage on a sunny day

Frequently Asked Questions about Photovoltaic Cells

How do Solar PV Cells work? Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert solar radiation from the sun into electricity. A typical PV cell consists of a wafer of semi-conducting material, usually silicon, manufactured with two electrically different layers. When sunlight hits the cell it excites the electrons within the silicon, creating an electric field across the layers and causing a flow of electricity.

For a more detailed technical account of how a PV cell works see Dan Quiggin’s UCL lecture within the Google drive folder you downloaded this guide from (here). See pages 34-46. What are PV cells made of? Most mass produced PV cells are made of very thin wafers of very pure silicon crystals. Silica is a very abundant material found in sand and quartz. To make a cell two different types of silicon need to be created, so the silicon is ‘doped’ with very tiny quantities of other substances typically either phosphorus or boron. Higher efficiency PV cells are made of crystals of other substances, such as gallium arsenide. Neither gallium nor arsenic are abundant materials and arsenic is very toxic. Are there different types of PV cells? Most mass produced rigid PV cells are either Monocrystalline and Polycrystalline cells – see below. There are also developments where cells are produced in a ‘thin film’ which can reduce cost but usually at the expense of lower efficiency. Innovations that use silicon spheres are enabling the production of flexible PV arrays in the form of fabric. The so called third generation PV is based on nanotechnology – engineering at a molecular and atomic level. This could lead to PV cells made, for example, from extremely thin stacked plastic sheets, converting solar energy to electricity with very high efficiency and very low cost. What is the difference between Monocrystalline cells and Polycrystalline cells? Monocrystalline cells are made from a single large crystal of silicon - they seen as more efficient and slightly better in low light conditions but they can be more expensive. Polycrystalline cells are made from cast blocks of silicon that contain many small crystals and are slightly less efficient than Monocrystalline

cells. In practice, for a typical residential property, there is little difference in the performance of these different products. What are the relative carbon emissions of PV cells compared with other electricity generating technologies? A literature review was conducted for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and published in 2011. It looked at the CO2 emissions per unit of electricity generated by different generation technologies. It found that the CO2 emission values, averaged over all the life cycle emissions studies in the review were as follows. Technology Description Grams of CO2 /kWh electricity Onshore Wind 12 Various g eneration II reactor types Nuclear 16 Polycrystalline silicon Solar PV 46 Various combined cycle turbines without Natural Gas 469 scrubbing

Various generator types without scrubbing Coal 1001 The average carbon intensity of the UK National Grid is around 300-500gCO2/kWh, depending on the mix of generations sources that are being used to meet demand at any moment. What are the environmental impacts of manufacturing PV cells? Current mass production of silicon PV cells is very energy intensive as the manufacturing process involves heating silicon to very high temperatures. Sawing silicon wafers creates a significant amount of waste silicon dust. This process may generate silicon particulate matter that will pose inhalation problems for production workers and those who clean and maintain equipment. Despite the use of respiratory masks, workers remain overexposed to silicon dust. The gas sulphur hexafluoride is used to clean the reactors used in silicon production. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change considers sulphur hexafluoride to be the most potent greenhouse gas per molecule; one ton of sulphur hexafluoride has a greenhouse effect equivalent to that of 25,000 tons of CO2. (source: http://www.solarindustrymag.com/issues/SI1309/FEAT_05_Hazardous_Materials_Used_In_Silicon_PV_Cell_Production_A_Primer.html)

What are the relative costs of generating electricity with PV cells compared to other technologies? UK Levelised Cost Estimates for different generation technologies 2019 Technology Cost range pence/kWh New Nuclear 8-9.5 Onshore Wind 8-12.5 Offshore Wind 9.5-13.5 Gas - CCGT 6.5-10.5 Gas - OCGT 14.5-23.5 Natural Gas with carbon capture 6.5-13* Coal with carbon capture 8-18* PV – solar farm 11.5-13 Source: DECC Electricity Generation Costs 2013

* We would question whether carbon capture can be effectively costed as it still has not been successfully developed

This comparison is for large scale use of PV in a solar farm – costs for small residential installations of PV could be higher still. What impact do batteries have on the environmental impacts of off-grid PV systems? All the panels we produce in the workshops will be used in off-grid PV systems including batteries. The manufacture of lead acid batteries is very carbon intensive resulting in about 180 grams of CO2 emissions 34

/kWh over their lifetime. So it is much better for the environment to obtain second hand batteries, since there are plenty that are almost as ‘good as new’ as they have been maintained as backup power. How much cheaper is a PV panel produced with recycled materials by Demand Energy Equality compared to a commercial panel? PV panels are usually compared by the peak power they generate in bright sunshine in peak Watts. So you can compare the cost of generating a peak Watt. The price of commercial panels has fallen considerably in recent years with cheap panels being manufactured primarily in China. You can now buy commercial panels in the UK for under £1 per peak Watt. We estimate that the current PV panels being made in Demand Energy Equality workshops cost 70p per peak Watt but we must remember that participants give their labour for free. However this cost is more affordable to more people than similar commercially manufactured products.

Appendix 6: Risk Assessment

Demand Energy Equality Activity Risk Assessment This form is a risk assessment for a specific task at non-specific sites and therefore should be used in conjunction with the relevant site assessments, site guidelines and task guidelines. Activity: Building a solar USB charger Date: and teaching others in a workshop Site: format Group:

Assessed by:

Date of completion:

Potential Hazards

Risk What precautions can we take? leve l

Weather H&S considerations? talk?

Site See Site Risk Assessment.

n.a.

Use of electrical 6 equipment

240V AC warnings will be given along with careful guidance as to use of equipment by workshop leader. All equipment will be switched off and unplugged when not in use.

All electrical equipment to be kept dry in the event of rain.

Yes

Burns from soldering equipment

Leader will be responsible for supervising at all n.a. times. Non-participants will be asked to keep a safe distance away. Have water on hand to immediately deal with any burns. Have first aid kit nearby. Heat resistant gloves available if desired.

Yes

Chance of small 3 electric shock

Low voltage and amps therefore electric shock only startle – workshop leader will brief participants

n.a.

Yes

Burns from use of heat guns

Those not confident in the task will not n.a. participate. Have water on hand to immediately deal with any burns. Have first aid kit nearby. Heat resistant gloves available if desired.

Yes

Cuts from stanley knives when removing excess polycarbonate

Demonstration from workshop leader of appropriate technique, cutting away from own body and those of participants.

Yes

n.a.

LIKELIHOOD (L) 5 Inevitable 4 Highly likely 3 Possible 2 Unlikely 1 Remote possibility SEVERITY (S) 5 Very high – Multiple deaths 4 High – Death, serious injury, permanent disability 3 Moderate – RIDDOR over 3 days 2 Slight – First Aid treatment 1 Nil – Very minor

SEVERITY

L I K E L I H O O D

RISK RATING SCORE

ACTION

1-4

Broadly Acceptable – No action required

5-9

Moderate – Reduce risks if reasonably practicable

10-15

High Risk – Priority action to be undertaken

16-25

Unacceptable – Action must be taken IMMEDIATELY

Appendix 7: Energy Workshop Feedback Form

This form can be completed online at dee.org.uk/feedback Please circle one response where multiple choices are given 1. How would you rate the course? Excellent Very good Good Fair Poor

2. Was the information provided in advance of the workshop sufficient and received in time? Yes Sufficient but not in time In time but not sufficient Neither

3. Did you have all of the materials and tools you needed, when you needed them? Yes I had what I needed, but not always when I needed it Neither

4. For your level of understanding, were our explanations too complicated, too simple, or about right? Much too complicated Somewhat too complicated A little too complicated About right A little too simple Somewhat too simple Much too simple

5. Was the workshop too long, too short, or about right? Much too long Somewhat too long Slightly too long About right Slightly too short Somewhat too short Much too short

6. Was your learning better than what you expected, worse than what you expected, or about what you expected? Much better Somewhat better Slightly better About what was expected Slightly worse Somewhat worse Much worse Please Turn Over 38

7. Do you feel that you understand more about contemporary energy crises, and the need toreduce energy demand? Strongly Agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree

8. Is there anything you particularly liked about the workshop? Equally is there anything we should change? 9. What was the date of the workshop? (date/month/year) 10. What was the location of the workshop? (city or town, e.g. Bristol/Oxford/etc) 10. How/where did you hear about us? (Please be as specific as possible - it really helps!) 11. Please define your gender and ethnicity (optional, but useful for funding purposes) 39