Abu Dhabi: A group of students who have undertaken projects to help their community gain greater access to energy are optimistic about receiving support from the UAE through the Zayed Future Energy Prize — Global High Schools. Two schools in Asia and one in Saudi Arabia are in contention for the $100,000 (Dh367,310) prize to be announced on January 16. Although the energy situation in Asia is little better than it is in Africa, there is a wide disparity between rural and urban energy provisions.

Green School Bali, Indonesia

A private international pre-kindergarten-to-high school institute focused on ecology and sustainability, Green School Bali is located near the town of Ubud.

Project: The school proposes the installation of a 10kW (kilowatt) solar PV (photovoltaic) system and a battery-bank from used batteries of mobile phones and notebooks with a capacity of 32 kWh (kilowatt hour). This will also help the local community around the school get access to energy.

This project would be the latest in a series of clean energy and sustainability initiatives undertaken by the institute. These include the ‘PV + battery + micro-grid’ system installed in 2011, a small hydropower plant that is currently being deployed at the school and several other smaller projects relevant to environmental sustainability.

Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies, South Korea

The private high school caters to 1,100 students.

Project: Developing an effective and sustainable alternative to its present air-conditioning system, which consumes 1,375,804 kWh of electricity annually.

Towards this purpose, the school plans to invest the prize money in the installation of solar panels and precipitation-collection tanks on the roof to operate evaporative coolers to cool classrooms. To create a wind channelling system to circulate air on each floor, the school will also install Arduino-based window blinds.

British International School, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

An independent school offering a British-based education system in the capital city, it has catered to English-speaking boys and girls aged three to 18 since it opened in 1979.

Project: Installing PV solar panels to generate electricity, applying reflective film to the windows to reduce heat gain and installing a rainwater recapture system to water the garden, as well as low-flush toilets and efficient taps.

The aim is to reduce electricity consumption by 50 per cent and water usage by 30—40 per cent.