Tumut & Adelong Times
18/09/2007 Page: 3
A $5,000 Visy Community Grant presented to Talbingo Public School will be used to establish solar panels at the school's green energy park by June of next year. This grant comes on the back of a $67,716 grant for the Talbingo Public School Energy Park Project from the Australian School innovation in Science, Technology and Mathematics (ASISTM) Program earlier this year. The program is part of the NSW Department of Education Science and Training (DEST) and the Australian Government's Community Water Grants.
Although only $6,000 of the grant can be used for green energy hardware Talbingo School has received industry and community support which has allowed the acquisition of two solar energy ovens worth over $900, a number of small $30 solar cars and a $160 hydrogen car. The park will eventually be an educational attraction for school and university students and feature a host of green energy alternatives including solar, hydro and wind.
Coordinator of the Project Sharon Rankmore said a wind turbine will be erected during the October school holidays and around $32,000 worth of solar panels should be laid down before Christmas. These solar panels will feed excess energy back into the local electricity grid during school holiday periods and Ms Rankmore hopes the project will enable the school to be energy self-sufficiency. The school has also sourced an old timber water wheel and will soon add it to the diverse range of green energy alternatives to be on display at the school. Ms Rankmore said the park aims to encourage a love of science and science teaching in school and university students.
The lion's share of the grant has been set aside for excursions and camps to alternative energy facilities as well as teaching workshops and programs designed to enhance understanding of the science and mathematics behind renewable energy. Students have already visited the Crookwell Wind Farm and will soon embark on a major camp involving around 100-students to Newcastle, Jindabyne and Cooma to view renewable energy development ranging from wind to geo-thermal. On completion in 2008 the park will be an educational tourist attraction planned, designed, constructed and run by students, teachers and partners of the project.
An innovative feature of the project is the collaboration between large energy companies, educational institutions, various levels of government and community organisations to create a resource that encourages science teaching and attitudes towards efficient energy use. Sharon Rankmore said after visiting the energy park patrons and students will be able to learn more about what they have seen through online teaching units. She said through the ASISTM program teachers have been preparing online units in energy for future park visitors so they can continue their educational experience when they get home or back to school or university. The energy park project aims to encourage school and university students to take up a science career as well as providing professional development for teachers and an example to other communities, Ms Rankmore said.
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