Project description
Fostering awareness of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies in European classrooms
Understanding renewable energy sources and how they work is the key to creating future eco-friendly societies. Sustainable technologies such as fuel cell and hydrogen are promising alternatives to fossil fuels that can provide heat and electricity and power vehicles. The objective of the EU-funded FCHgo project is to promote ecological awareness and technological knowledge of hydrogen and fuel cells by developing educational materials for teachers and students. The project will create a website with a variety of engaging activities for primary and secondary schools in 10 European languages. This will encourage the transformation of societies into sustainable energy systems.
Objective
FCH have a central role to play in the development of renewable energy sources and, consequently, in the reduction of environmental damage caused by conventional energy sources such coal or oil.
A dedicated model of education is needed, especially one directed at the coming generations, in order to make the ecological thinking a fundamental part of our culture and habits, in the context of the industrial priorities in this field. Working out such forms of education is the purpose of FCHgo.
Along the project, a wide activity of dissemination of a toolkit for teachers and pupils at the primary and secondary school level will be realized, ensuring technical and pedagogical excellence.
Our methodological approach
- takes into account the cognitive tools of pupils at various stages of development
- uses different forms of expression by employing narrative forms of communication and
- includes the presence of stakeholders and industries active in the field, to tell the stories of successful applications and fostering careers in this field.
FCHgo will result in a set of tools, namely: an educational toolkit with narrative explanations of the technology, its functioning and applications, translated in 10 European languages; a website as connecting point for all the users and containing a wiki-space; a set of workshops in the classrooms of 6 countries, involving pupils from 8 to 18 to test and improve upon the materials and set the indicators for the activities’ evaluation; the first edition of an annual award to the best idea/solution to employ FCH, including an award ceremony; a final guideline describing an educational program delivery model, linked to priorities defined by industry.
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.3.3. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy Main Programme
- H2020-EU.3.3.8.2. - Increase the energy efficiency of production of hydrogen mainly from water electrolysis and renewable sources while reducing operating and capital costs, so that the combined system of the hydrogen production and the conversion using the fuel cell system can compete with the alternatives for electricity production available on the market
- H2020-EU.3.3.8.3. - Demonstrate on a large scale the feasibility of using hydrogen to support integration of renewable energy sources into the energy systems, including through its use as a competitive energy storage medium for electricity produced from renewable energy sources
- H2020-EU.3.5.7.1. - Reduce the use of the EU defined "Critical raw materials", for instance through low platinum or platinum free resources and through recycling or reducing or avoiding the use of rare earth elements
- H2020-EU.3.3.8.1. - Increase the electrical efficiency and the durability of the different fuel cells used for power production to levels which can compete with conventional technologies, while reducing costs
- H2020-EU.3.4.6.1. - Reduce the production cost of fuel cell systems to be used in transport applications, while increasing their lifetime to levels which can compete with conventional technologies
Funding Scheme
FCH2-CSA - Coordination & support actionCoordinator
41121 Modena
Italy