Sustainable school power supply model -prototype(2007) -see full commercial unit(2009)
( Condell Park High School of SW Sydney NSW Australia, is building a real version of the above model in the next 2-3 years .)
The 3 Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative was created by the Australian federal government.
http://www.environment.gov.au/education/aussi/index.html
1 The National Solar School Initiative is a federal initiative that has been operating since July 2008, with ~1400 Australian schools already participating. Please have your school join this program ASAP.
http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/renewable/nationalsolarschools/index.html
2 The Schools Energy Efficiency Program - (NSW) was introduced in December 2007, and is available to all state high schools in NSW (225). Twenty million dollars (A$20m) has been allocated to the program with 25% of that sum allocated (A$5m) for energy efficiency projects. The NSW DET will be managing the distribution of funding (A$5m) as relating to the energy efficiency projects for participating NSW state high schools. Other states and territories in Australia may have similar energy programs .
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/ssep.htm
The above represents a clear and progressive desire by governments to have environmental education move from the awareness stage to the curriculum stage. The Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative’s website as above, has excellent teaching material and guidance for environmental education with proven cross-curricular content.
The National Hydrogen Institute of Australia (NHIA) has synergy with the energy curriculum content of environmental education, in particular energy efficient technologies that reduce emissions. Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies are of course highly efficient technologies that emit low to zero amounts of air pollution when generating high-grade electricity.
Australian Academy of Science -The quest to make hydrogen the fuel of the future
Teaching students energy efficiency and “smart” energy practices to help reduce emissions will carry forward with students when they make their future life style choices. Students need to know that whilst such sustainable energy practices as above are essential, they do have their limits. The future life style choices of students must as well be influenced by new and available technologies that are highly efficient and produce minute to zero amounts of pollution when generating high-grade electricity. Global warming and climate change issues are compounded by the ongoing world oil crisis, and hydrogen and fuel cell technologies offer significant hope to reduce future emissions rapidly.
By example The Schools Energy Efficiency Program - (NSW) with the A$5m in funding available (via DET), allows for participating NSW state high schools to create their own energy efficiency projects, and in particular projects involving hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
The NHIA offers to work with Australian schools that join programs "1" and or "3" and wish to develop their own energy efficient projects (whether or not involving H2 & fuel cells), renewable energy and water systems;The NHIA works with Solar Hydrogen Research Pty Ltd.
Contact: nhia@hydrogen.asn.au
http://www.environment.gov.au/education/aussi/index.html http://www.environment.gov.au/education/ http://www.sustainableschools.wa.edu.au/ http://www.sustainableschools.act.gov.au/energy http://www.sustainableschools.nsw.edu.au/?tabid=288