Start and Plan it: My first Solar Shed design

The energy crisis is still with us and growing faster than ever. Next came the housing crisis and then bigger economic problems. It is time for us all to accept the problem and do something about it. In analyzing these problems, I used the method of going back to the sun. Nowhere is this more evident as with solar energy. Many ideas came to mind surrounding the use of the sun as a source of power, the one I thought to be very useful in these times was the concept of the solar shed. I decided that this was an everyday math (and physics problem) so I imagined myself as a student studying the concept of sheds and sunlight. It seems as though this was a way to combine work and play and so I invite visitors to share in what I call the experience of “here comes the fun.”

I used my TI-73 calculator as a study tool for this project. It is programmable and consumes very little power as well as being the most cost effective of the 83-84 family with the same graphics display. Since it is my hobby to program this calculator, I constructed a software routine to design with rectangles. The rectangle is really an “in-shape” in our world and thus I called the calculator based design program “INSH” However, the 73 is powered by alkaline batteries. Solar energy can produce electricity and thus I located the “best alkaline battery recharger.” All I had to do was locate a solar battery source and I did so. Now, the design should include skylights as well as solar panels for the roof. The roof angles are important and the shed concept should be one of a garden shed, a place to extend the growing season. If it is going to be comfortable enough for plants, it should also be large enough and warm enough for people and thus should provide an efficient solar powered heating system. It should not be to hot in the summer and therefore should also be solar cooled. I found a supplier for portable solar energy packs, solar shingles, and a solar roof-fans and so I was on my way.