Eight Edinburgh schools to take part in nationwide Hydrogen challenge

Lego Hydrogen Challenge

Secondary school pupils will compete against thousands from across Scotland to build the best green-hydrogen powered Lego vehicle to highlight the role the fuel could play in tackling climate change.

More than 700 pupils from across the city will have just two hours to design, build and race a green hydrogen-fuelled vehicle of their own design as part of the nationwide Scottish Schools Hydrogen Challenge.

And over the next two weeks, competitors will be challenged to design vehicles that can travel the furthest on the zero-emission fuel, for a spot in the regional final at the Assembly Rooms on October 8th.

The three best teams from the regionals will then take part in a grand final in Glasgow during the COP26 climate conference in November where they will be pitted against pupils from Fort William, Wick, Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth and Stirling and Glasgow.

Councillor Ian Perry, Education, Children and Families convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said:

Engaging and empowering young people on climate change is vital as Edinburgh transitions towards net zero by 2030.

Green hydrogen has the potential to prevent millions of tonnes from being released into the atmosphere. This competition is an excellent opportunity to engage young people ion innovating for a net zero future whilst also creating a learning environment which will drive higher levels of creativity and improve peer collaboration.

Councillor Adam McVey, Leader of City of Edinburgh Council, added:

We know that climate change is a subject which is really important to young people across our city.

This national challenge not only provides young people with opportunities to apply learning from STEM subjects to this competition but will help to highlight the role that new technologies such as green-hydrogen play in helping to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change.

It will also provide the finalists with a unique and memorable experience of competing at COP26 during the global conference and show we can be inspired by the solutions to climate change.

Pupils from James Gillespie’s High School, Broughton High School, The Royal High School, Leith Academy, Liberton High School, St Augustine’s High School, Portobello High School and Drummond High School will all take part in the national challenge which is run in partnership with  Arcola Energy, ITM Power and ScottishPower.

Additional information:

Green hydrogen is made when renewable electricity is used to power an electrolyser, which splits water into its two elements; hydrogen and oxygen.

The fuel offers a long term, sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, and is expected to be vital in decarbonising hard to abate sectors, such as heavy industry, transport and industrial processes.

Published: September 27th 2021