WINNERS OF SCHOOL COMPETITION: ENERGY EFFICIENCY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Saldanha Bay Municipality, with the support of iX Engineers and the National Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, the latter who availed a limited grant, invited selected schools in the municipal area to participate in an 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻.  The project team also consulted with the relevant Circuit Manager of the Western Cape Education Department as part of the process.

Two local schools, namely Weston High School and Vredenburg High School submitted entries, which involved a video production and poster presentation about the subject.

First place was awarded to Weston High School and the runners up was Vredenburg High School.

Municipal Manager, Heinrich Mettler and members of the Mayoral Committee as well as Jacques Laubscher from iX Engineers and officials from the municipal Electrotechnical department, presented the prizes to the winning schools on Monday, 2 September 2024.  Mr. Mettler applauded the learners for their innovative ideas and their playing a part in the changing landscape of energy supply within the South African context.

The prizes ranged from a large hybrid inverter and battery supply as the first prize and a medium hybrid inverter and battery supply as the second prize, plus a portable power station, each.  The prizes can be used as back-up power supply for large administrative offices or in classrooms during power outages or as means to save energy by installing solar panels to supply the systems.

📝 Competition guidelines were as follows:

• Participating schools had to construct a poster (“Science Expo” type), not larger than A0 size.
• On the poster: depictions of different means of clean energy generation were to be presented. This would include for example solar, wind, hydro plants and nuclear energies.
• Each school would then do a 3-minute presentation about the content of the poster and elaborate on the different kinds of clean energy and why it is important.
• This 3-minute presentation had to be video-recorded and sent via email to the Saldanha Bay Municipality Electrotechnical department and the competition associates.
• The posters had to be delivered to the Saldanha Bay Municipality Electrotechnical department.
• Each school was allowed one entry only.
• Entries were judged on creativity and content and not the cost of the poster components.
• Entries closed on 20 May 2024.