CHILDREN from Redditch got a glimpse of tomorrow’s world today when they visited the Birmingham Hydrogen Energy Park in Tyseley.
The park, run by the University of Birmingham and backed by 17 partners Europe-wide, is a dedicated research and development centre but through its Hydrogen Academy, aims to father education on the new technology.
Hydrogen is a clean fuel which, when used in a fuel cell, not only produces energy efficiently but has a by-product not of smelly and dangerous exhaust fumes, but pure clean water.
Not only that but the students, pupils at Woodrow First School, also discovered it was the most abundant chemical element in the universe.
The youngsters were there as part of their year-long enrichment lessons in a visit organised by The Bertz Associates.
This term they have been tasked with investigating a clean, green energy on a fictional tropical island after the existing power source – solar panels – are destroyed in a storm.
Led by university scientist Jon Wood, an Outreach Fellow in Chemical Engineering, they discovered just how hydrogen works in a fuel cell, powering everything from lights bulbs to car engines.
They got to grips with hydrogen cabs and cars and saw one of Birmingham’s hydrogen powered buses. Plus, they got cooking in a hydrogen gas-powered kitchen.
And that’s not all – in a working laboratory, the pupils learnt how Artificial Intelligence was ‘taught’ to machines, came face to face with giant robots that could pick up the equivalent of eight people at a time, and gazed awestruck at an artificial tree which enables scientists to measure its take up of carbon dioxide and in turn how much oxygen is released back into the atmosphere.
Jon added: “We really hope to inspire these children to consider chemical engineering or something similar in the future having careers in something that maybe their parents did not have the opportunity to do.”
Science fiction? Well, Earth moving giant JCB, in collaboration with the Energy Park, has developed its own hydrogen powered motor by modifying a diesel engine, which produces not fumes, but water out of its exhaust.
Japanese giant Kawasaki is developing a hydrogen powered motorbike and in Europe the technology is expected to create tens of thousands of clean energy jobs.
And the verdict from the children? “It’s been the best day ever” said one, while another added: “We have learnt so much, it has been great.”
