Enterprising Engineering and a Greener Future Up and Running

In May 2009, By Design received a grant from the Royal Academy of Engineering, RAE, through the Ingenious Grants Funding Scheme, to create and deliver a pilot project in three secondary schools around the country centred on producing a sustainable energy source.

Over the last few months the project has been fully developed and delivery has now commenced. The project, Enterprising Engineering and a Greener Future, sees teams of Sixth Form students from each of the participating schools developing and then running an enterprise which creates bio-diesel from used cooking oil. This bio-diesel is then used to fuel diesel powered engines (sometimes vehicular) around the school.

By Design are partnering a number of different organisations in this project including Green Fuels Ltd, who specialise in the production of Bio-Fuel Production Equipment and CREST, the Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology, at Loughborough University.

The project, which has a strong educational theme running throughout with a rich mix of environmental subject matter, chemistry, enterprise and engineering, also acts as a platform to enable real life engineers to experience and practise public engagement activities, one of the necessary outcomes of the grant funding.

Eight engineers from CREST and two from Green Fuels Ltd are supporting By Design staff in the delivery of the project which involves an initial lecture at each of the three schools, exploring the environment, energy supply and demand and the use of renewable energy sources before centring on bio-fuels. This is then followed by a training day given to the students which covers enterprise, use of the bio-fuel equipment, key skills and the building of a solar powered car. The students then have all the equipment and skills they need to run their enterprise over the coming months.

So far Cheltenham College in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, have received their initial lecture with the student training day taking place in early October. Burleigh Community College, Loughborough, Leicestershire, have their initial presentation day scheduled for early October. Over the coming months we will be placing updates on the website to let you know how the school teams are getting on with their enterprises.

21st September 2009