Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune In: The science behind innovation

20 minutes

Find Out: Innovations in renewable energy

25 minutes

Take Action: Designing our renewable future

5 minutes

Reflection

Learning intentions and success criteria

Students will:

understand how technological advancements in materials and engineering have been driven by scientific discoveries and how these advancements contribute to more efficient solutions for mitigating climate change.

Students can:

explain how the development of new materials, such as advanced solar cells and wind turbine components, has improved the efficiency of renewable energy technologies
analyse specific renewable energy case studies to identify the key scientific and technological advancements that have contributed to climate change solutions
describe the role of science in driving innovation and how these innovations lead to potential careers in the energy sector
design a proposal that applies the renewable energy innovation they have researched to a local renewable energy project.

Tune In: The science behind innovation

Step 1

Give each student a post-it note and ask them to draw a windmill. When they are finished, ask them to put their designs up on the whiteboard.

Ask your students, “What do these windmills have in common? Can we group them by types?”. You may have a mix of modern turbines, older Dutch-style wooden windmills or even pinwheels.

Step 2

Inform the class that we are going to explore a modern windmill (or wind turbine) and compare it with the oldest known windmills.

Show your students this video and ask them to complete the modern windmill column of the first question on the Student Worksheet.

Energising Queensland - Octopus Australia | Blade Hype - Clean Energy Council (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHkW3zeMKQQ)

Step 3

Once students have noted their answers, show them the next video and ask them to fill in the other column on their Student Worksheet.

These Ancient Windmills Were Built Over 1,000 Years Ago - Great Big Story (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ugw7-BwsmI)

Now ask your students, “What has changed between ancient and modern windmills?” followed by “Why have windmills changed?”

Extension opportunity: Students could create an infographic mapping the adaptations in windmills over time, from the vertical-axis windmills of Persia to the horizontal-axis windmills popular in the Netherlands to the first electricity-generating turbines of the 1880s (some of which went back to a vertical axis!) and the modern turbines we are familiar with today.

Step 4

Explain to your students that today we are going to explore changes in the renewable energy industry and how scientific investigation leads to new discoveries and changes in design, construction and application. Further questions and discussion information is available in the Teacher Content Information.

Find Out: Innovations in renewable energy

Step 1

While renewable energy is more sustainable than the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity, it still has its own challenges and could be improved.

Ask your students, “What are some of the challenges with renewable energy that you are aware of?”. Their suggestions may include:

recycling decommissioned parts at their end-of-life
the space taken up by renewables that could be used for something else
storing energy for when the renewables aren’t available (e.g. at night or when it isn’t windy)
sourcing materials to build the components
transmitting the energy over long distances.

Now ask the class: “Looking back at the ancient and modern windmills, what challenges were addressed by the design and material changes? Did any new challenges arise?”

Suggested responses:

longevity of parts, increase in efficiency
sourcing materials, recycling materials

Step 2

Outline to the class that they’re now going to explore current innovations in the renewable energy industry. Divide your students into groups and assign one of the innovations below (these are also listed on the Student Worksheet).

Energy Type	Innovation	Prompt Resources
Solar Panels	Perovskite cells	Are perovskite cells a game-changer for solar energy?(youtube.com/watch?v=Fft4UT7kGxg) Duration 11:10 Perovskite Solar Cells - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/perovskite-solar-cells)
Wind Turbines	Small-scale wind turbines	Why you haven't seen these wind turbines around (yet)(youtube.com/watch?v=MrmASjNexdc&t) Duration 8:33 Small wind turbines solving big problems - Arenawire (https://arena.gov.au/blog/small-wind-turbines-solving-big-problems/)
Battery Storage	Vanadium Flow Batteries	Vanadium Flow Batteries(youtube.com/watch?v=fPtaDqLsbnM) Duration 9:01 What is vanadium and why are we mining it in Queensland? - Queensland Government? (https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/news/what-is-vanadium-and-why-are-we-mining-it-in-queensland)
Wind Turbines	Blade Design and Recycling	Wind power's unsolved problem(youtube.com/watch?v=HzQShAlObn8) Duration: 10:46 How can companies recycle wind turbine blades? - Chemical and Engineering News (https://cen.acs.org/environment/recycling/companies-recycle-wind-turbine-blades/100/i27)
Solar Panels	Recycling of Solar Panels	Scientists believe they've found a way to recycle solar panels \| ABC News(youtube.com/watch?v=rlweV5SaIqU) Duration: 2:15 National approach to manage solar panel, inverter and battery life cycles - Sustainability Victoria (https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/circular-economy-and-recycling/product-stewardship/national-approach-to-manage-solar-panel-inverter-and-battery-lifecycles)
Solar Panels	Agrisolar	Energising Australia - Edify Energy \| Greg and Tim(youtube.com/watch?v=yAaUhUqOjKY) Duration: 1:41 Australian Guide To Agrisolar For Large-Scale Solar - Clean Energy Council (https://assets.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/documents/resources/reports/agrisolar-guide/Australian-guide-to-agrisolar-for-large-scale-solar.pdf)
Transmission of Electricity	Drone Stringing	Kaban drone stringing (youtube.com/watch?v=xXAmKdFDdOk) Duration: 2:02 Queensland first sees transmission lines flying high - Powerlink Queensland (https://www.powerlink.com.au/news-media/queensland-first-sees-transmission-lines-flying-high)
Pumped Hydro	Kidston Project - Reusing an abandoned gold mine	Repurposing a disused gold mine with a pumped storage hydroelectric power plant (youtube.com/watch?v=Ledf91zU3g8) Duration: 1:06 Kidston gold mine lives on as pumped hydro plant - Arenawire (https://arena.gov.au/blog/queensland-gold-mine-lives-on-as-pumped-hydro-plant/)

If your students don’t have access to YouTube on their student devices, encourage them to start the research into their innovation using the alternative resources listed in the table.

Students should watch or read the resources allocated to them in the table and complete the questions below (also available on the Student Worksheet).

Which energy are you exploring?
What innovative technology or design is demonstrated in the video?
What is the science behind this technology? What discovery or principle is being used?
What challenges were mentioned in the video? How does this innovation address those challenges?
What jobs and careers are needed in this innovation? Use the Future Energy Jobs Guide to help you.
What questions do you have about this innovation? You might wonder about the economic, environmental and social sustainability of this new innovation. You might have questions about how it is implemented or how efficient it is (for example: do crops grow as fast and as well under the shade of solar panels?) Write these questions below, and conduct your own research to try and answer them.

As students conduct their research, they should note down any questions they have. You might like to discuss these questions as a class or encourage students to conduct their own research if they need further information. Further information about some of these innovations and technologies can be found in the Teacher Content Information.

Take Action: Designing our renewable future

Step 1

In this final phase, students will apply the knowledge they've gained about new materials, technological advancements and the role of science in innovation to a real-world challenge. The goal is to move from theory to practice, empowering students to make a tangible impact in their local community while also exploring the potential career paths these innovations offer.

Divide the class into small groups and explain that their task is to design a proposal that applies the renewable energy innovation they have researched to a local renewable energy project. The project can be focused on their school, a community area, or even a hypothetical new development in their town. It could be small-scale (e.g. a vertical-axis windmill to power lights for the local skate park) or large-scale (e.g. upgrading renewable energy centres with their technology). Students can use their Planning Poster to support their planning for this project.

Step 2

Encourage students to begin their research in their local area to identify potential sites or projects that could benefit from renewable energy solutions and innovations. Guide them to think about places that have the space and need for technologies like solar panels or wind turbines. Groups should consider the materials and technologies that have been discussed – how could these be used to make their project more efficient and effective?

Step 3

Explain that each group should aim to include the following in their proposal:

an outline of their project idea
the renewable energy technology it will use
how the technology will be implemented
the materials and innovations that are key to its success
a detailed plan of the science behind the technology, the expected benefits and how it addresses climate change.
the careers involved in bringing the project to life. E.g. Who would need to be involved? What skills and knowledge are required? Students can explore the Future Energy Jobs Guide as well as this website which showcases conversations with women in the renewables industry.

Step 4

Let students know that when they have completed their proposals, each group will present them to the class. Their presentation can be in the form of slides, a poster, or even a short video. Remind groups to include visuals, such as diagrams or models, to help explain their ideas. Presentations should highlight the scientific and technological advancements that make the project possible, as well as connect these innovations to their potential impact on climate change. Groups can also discuss the roles that would be involved in their project and how science drives innovation in the energy sector.

Extension opportunity: For another lesson or the next one, organise groups to present their proposals to the class or a panel of teachers acting as stakeholders or community leaders. This pitch could be persuasive, focusing on the practical benefits and the science that supports them. Encourage groups to prepare for questions and how they’ll highlight the feasibility of their project, the materials and technologies involved, and the impact on both the local area and the broader fight against climate change.

Reflection

Reflect on the lesson with your students using the following questions:

How has learning about the advancements in renewable energy technologies changed your understanding of the role science plays in combating climate change?
What connections can you make between the scientific innovations you learnt about and the potential impact they could have on your community or the world at large?

How Science and Technology Drive Climate Solutions

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How Science and Technology Drive Climate Solutions

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