New renewables scheme gets green light for schools
Explore Renewables, an innovative new, free scheme designed to ensure our school pupils get first-hand experience of renewable energy in the classroom was officially launched today at the Centre for Life.
Giving all North East middle and secondary schools the chance to get to grips with renewables and apply it across a wide range of subjects in the national curriculum, the scheme is providing over two hundred renewable energy units and curriculum materials free to all publicly funded secondary and middle schools in the North East of England.
Over seventy guests from the education and renewable’s community in the North East joined the Explore Renewables team to find out about how the project will be delivered and try out the specially designed ‘Solar Thermal Trolley’ which will be available to all schools involved in the scheme. The launch brought together renewable energy experts, teachers and education advisors to debate the challenges of incorporating sustainable energy into school campuses, the curriculum and the wide community, and how Explore Renewables can best work to support schools in achieving this.
Explore Renewables is being implemented by NaREC, the North East’s Centre of Excellence for New and Renewable Energy, in partnership with leading green support services provider eaga plc and The Centre for Design Research at Northumbria University, with funding from Regional Development Agency One NorthEast.
Minister for the North East Nick Brown said: "It’s important to encourage school children to study science and engineering. Our region has a rich history and tradition in these fields. This enterprising initiative will help to demonstrate the environmental and economic benefits of sustainable energy to thousands of school children in our region.
"The environmental challenges we face are stark.There are huge and growing career opportunities in the creation of a low carbon economy. The North East can be a true world-leader in developing clean energy. ‘Explore Renewables’ highlights the importance of the climate change challenge to the next generation.”
The project will distribute specially designed ‘Solar Thermal Trolleys’ to all participating schools in the North East. Supported by curriculum based learning materials and an interactive on-line learning tool, Explore Renewables is a hands-on way of engaging pupils in the practical application of key stage three maths, science, geography and design and technology.
The ambitious three-year project will build up a unique network of children and teachers in schools across the North East who will be able to interact through www.explorerenewables.co.uk. Schools will be able to share data and information with other classes using the same technology elsewhere in the region, and arrange collaborative class projects.
Schools involved in Explore Renewables will also be able to access live data feeds from two flagship schools set up in the region to generate heat and power from renewables and a permanent renewable energy unit at the New and Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth.
Bringing practical, instantaneous renewable technology into the classroom will help students to fully appreciate the fruits of the labour of scientists and engineers, and the impact that technology can have on daily life. Explore Renewables will bring to life the prospect of climate change, changing energy attitudes and encouraging the adoption of new energy technologies.
"Tell Me, I'll Forget, Show Me, I'll Remember, Let Me Do It, I'll Understand."
Curriculum based teaching materials for renewable energy education do exist, but the lack of more comprehensive hands-on technology demonstration is preventing the whole message from sinking in. Showing children the issues of sustainable energy, will help them to remember it – but Explore Renewables is going one step further in enabling the children to actually interact with the technology and apply it in practice. It is only in submerging children in the activity of ‘sustainable energy’ that they will truly understand it.
Mark Taylor, Manager of the Explore Renewables project at NaREC said, “These children will be the green consumers of the future. It lies with them to dictate to the world that we will only buy, consume, and use equipment, food, technology, and buildings which are eco-friendly and sustainable. Bringing renewables into the classroom is the best way to instil a sustainable philosophy into the minds of the next generation.”
James Battensby, Business Strategy Senior Specialist at One NorthEast said,
“The North East has set its sights on significantly reducing its carbon footprint - in order to achieve this we are working with communities and businesses across the board to enable us to become more energy conscious. We must engage with young people now, if we are to make the major changes in lifestyle and behaviour that will be needed to meet our carbon reduction targets. Explore Renewables will be an excellent way of introducing young people to new forms of energy and show them how to conserve energy and protect their environment.”
Steven Caseley, Managing Director at eaga Renewables said: “We came up with the concept of Explore Renewables to give school children some basic knowledge of the principles involved with renewable and low carbon energy systems and hopefully to get them excited in the potential for renewables. After all, the children of today are the home owners of tomorrow, so it makes complete sense to show them the benefits of environmentally friendly homes. Raising awareness among our secondary school students and letting them see for themselves how renewable energy and energy saving works will ensure our children are more energy conscious than we are.”
Any schools wishing to be involved in the scheme should sign up via www.explorerenewables.co.uk
