The challenge originally began in 2005 when tadea through our Energy Saving Trust activities worked with Tyne and Wear local authorities to raise awareness of renewable energy and climate change in 2005. The event has gone from strength to strength, and widened the challenge to schools throughout the North East since then.
Held at Nissan Motor Manufacturing’s Sport and Social Club, each school team showed off the designs and power of the solar cars they had developed over the last three months. The pupils aged from seven to 11 years old had to build the cars from a basic kit supplied and make improvements to its design and performance.
Winners of the challenge were the teams from St Aloysius RC Primary School in Hebburn for the 15-metre speed race, and Handale Primary School in Saltburn-by-the-Sea for the best designed car competition. Their entries were judged by representatives from Northumberland County Council, tadea and One North East.
Headteacher of Handale Primary School, Helen Blakeley said: “We are very proud of the pupils who put in a lot of effort both in lessons, during lunch time and after school to make their design a reality. They thoroughly deserve their award.”
Lisa Ferri, a judge at this year’s event, said: "A key benefit to students is being assessed by peers and experts in the field. They all handled the process well and used feedback to improve on the design and performance positively. This attitude is hugely impressive and can only be welcomed when some may wish to have careers in the sector.”
The pupils also took part in fun workshops on environmental challenges, solar power, graphic design and engineering techniques led by other partner organisations such as nPower.