Sharjah 24: On the concluding weekend of the 14th Sharjah Children's Reading Festival, children got to explore their scientific curiosity and learn about planet-saving activities through a special workshop on harnessing renewable energy to power a mini-house. Using solar radiation and its temperature to light up a “house” manufactured from recycled materials, the youngsters learnt that the sun’s energy can be converted to electric energy using photovoltaics or heat engines.

Children aged between 7 and 13 gathered together as Houida Saigh, a science teacher and the workshop’s instructor first explained the basic forms of renewable energy - such as solar, water, wind and bioorganic - as compared to non-renewable sources such as coal and natural gas.

To create the solar-powered house, the workshop participants got to assemble a DIY kit of a mini model house, a small solar panel, batteries, lightbulbs and wires to connect them. Since the workshop was held indoors, the light bulbs were used to power the solar panels connected to the houses. “The kids basically learn how to harness the power of sunlight, air or water at our workshops,” said Saigh.  

“At this workshop, we showed them how to assemble the house, add the solar panel, and power it through the light bulb by connecting the wires to the batteries. In the long run, we hope this will foster in their young minds an interest to learn more about climate-saving energy sources and how to channel them resourcefully in order to stop polluting our planet.”

Sara, an 11-year-old workshop participant from Ambassador School Sharjah said: “We learnt how to channel solar energy to power our day-to-day energy requirements in a home, and how it can help save our planet by using a non-polluting source that is also endlessly renewable. The sun is available to everyone, everywhere in the world and it makes sense that we learn how to utilise solar energy effectively and work towards minimising global warming in the future.”