PPL PWR – Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng)-funded ‘DIY Renewables’ Project

Get involved in a hands-on programme teaching new design skills, graphics software, and then experience true prototyping and manufacture of small-scale energy devices.

Starting at the end of February 2019, this free 16-week course involves a 90-minute session per week, plus an App for tracking the pupil's progress in between. 

PPL PWR is a collective of university graduates and students, along with professionals and entrepreneurs, who promote the use and expansion of sustainable technologies. The aim of the collective is to inform and inspire people to engage with research and innovation and create a space for both individuals and groups to share knowledge with each other. We also provide opportunities for those involved to demonstrate and educate the public in a fun and engaging manner at festivals and workshop events.

PPL PWR has been fortunate enough to secure funding as part of the RAEng Ingenious Awards, totalling over £21K, in order to deliver two free 16-week comprehensive workshop series, one in each of two schools in East London. The aim of each workshop series is to provide knowledge and inspiration for the design and building of a small-scale DIY renewable device, based on teaching (bioenergy, solar, wind & energy storage) and design (physical and digital) workshops as the first two phases, and finishing with both prototype and making phases. The participants will be from Years 9-11, with a 50:50 gender balance and will incorporate students with a variety of academic backgrounds. The workshops are designed to cater for 4 groups of 4 students, holding each session after school for 1.5-2 hours, once/twice per week. Alongside the fun and practical nature of this design and engineering renewables course, an in-house app has been developed for monitoring progress, setting quizzes and sharing best practices.

Currently, the team involved comprises university undergraduates, post-graduates and staff, alongside graphic designers, entrepreneurs and industry professionals and the workshop series will start at the end of February/beginning of March. PPL PWR is looking to recruit 3-4 more volunteers to help with delivering the workshops and/or putting together the lesson plans / designing the practical elements.

For more information and/or to register interest in volunteering as part of this project, please follow one or both of the VSU links below:

• Attend workshops
• Making resources