Solar energy generation along highways. The potential of solar panels on roofs built above national highways as a source of solar energy was investigated in the International Journal of Energy and Environmental Engineering (Dec. 2013). Computer simulation was used to estimate the monthly solar energy (kilowatt-hours)

generated from solar panels installed across a 200- kilometer stretch of highway in India. Each month, the simulation was run under each of four conditions:

single-layer solar panels, double-layer solar panels 1 meter apart, double-layer solar panels 2 meters apart, and double-layer solar panels 3 meters apart. The data for 12 months are shown in the table. In order to compare the mean solar energy values generated by the four panel configurations, a randomized block design ANOVA was conducted. A MINITAB printout of the analysis is provided below.

a. Identify the dependent variable, treatments, and blocks for this experiment.

b. What null hypothesis would you test in order to compare the mean solar energy values generated by the four panel configurations?

c. Carry out the test, part

b. Give the F-value and associated p-value.

d. What conclusion can you draw from the analysis?

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Month Double Layer Single Layer 1-meter 2-meters 3-meters January 7,308 8,917 9,875 10,196 February 6,984 8,658 9,862 9,765 March 7,874 9,227 11,092 11,861 April 7,328 7,930 9,287 10,343 May 7,089 7,605 8,422 9,110 June 5,730 6,350 7,069 7,536 July 4,531 5,120 5,783 6,179 August 4,587 5,171 5,933 6,422 September 5,985 6,862 8,208 8,925 October 7,051 8,608 10,008 10,239 November 6,724 8,264 9,238 9,334 December 6,883 8,297 9,144 9,808