Pupils learn a lesson for life

Feb 26 2008 by Karen McLauchlan, Evening Gazette

THE Centre for Process Innovation has joined forces with a local school to create a mini energy station providing power to a classroom in a UK first.

CPI, based at Wilton, has been working on the project with Bydales School at Marske and the now-completed system forms a valuable teaching aid as well as generating power.

This is the first project of its type in the country as it combines the use of wind and solar energy with the use of a fuel cell to create truly sustainable power.

The system feeds special green sockets which are not linked to the national grid and are powered entirely by the mini energy station.

When the output from a wind turbine and photovoltaic panels mounted on the school roof are not needed, the energy generated can be stored as hydrogen.

The hydrogen is stored in a tank and can be used with the fuel cell to power the green sockets.

CPI has also installed a computer control system that allows pupils at the specialist technology school to see how much power is being generated by each source and how much hydrogen is being generated as well as measuring wind and temperature.

Dr Jon Helliwell, project manager at CPI’s fuel cell applications facility, said: “The system is an excellent model for understanding the interactions between different renewable technologies and the use of hydrogen as a storage material.

“The fuel cell produces power with no carbon dioxide emissions - the only emission is pure water.

“It is a valuable educational resource and CPI is working with the school to develop course material.”

Seana Rice, head of technology at Bydales School, said: “We want to use technology to raise awareness and understanding of sustainability through renewable energies within our school and the wider community.

“We also hope to raise attainment by providing lessons outside the classroom that are engaging and motivating for our young people

“The data produced by the fuel cell, photovoltaic cell and wind turbine can be used as raw data in investigative work throughout many subjects, especially science, technology, maths and geography.”

Dr Helliwell explained: “The world’s future energy needs will probably be met by a variety of sources, with fuel cells high among them.

“We know that fossil fuels will run out. We also suspect that they contribute to climate change, so it makes sense to investigate as many viable renewable sources as possible.”

CPI is a Centre of Excellence set up and supported by regional development agency One NorthEast to consolidate, build on and exploit the North-east’s knowledge base in the process industries and deliver economic growth in the region.