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19 October 2021
Truro High School’s Greenpower Engineering team is celebrating having scooped the Siemens Sustainability Award at the International Finals.
The award recognises the team which demonstrates its understanding of the UN’s sustainable Development Goals and applied practical solutions to make their involvement in the Greenpower project more sustainable.
Truro High is the only school taking part in Greenpower to charge the batteries of its cars using energy from a solar powered trailer, making the school’s fleet of cars one of the most eco-friendly in the country.
The team has been using its solar powered trailer for a number of years and Year 12 student Charlotte led the research project into its eco credentials which secured the Siemens award.
Charlotte said: “I’m so proud that as a team we’re doing our part to protect the planet. Greenpower at its heart is all about sustainability – the fact the cars run on electricity rather than fuel is amazing and finding solutions so that we can go the whole way and use energy which is renewable is such an important step forward. Whilst we need to hold big corporations to account when it comes to the sustainability, we must start with our own actions to make things change and I really hope the trailer inspires more Greenpower teams, and hopefully more drivers, to do the same.”
Three of the school’s cars qualified for the Greenpower International Finals, which saw cars from across the country battling it out on the world-famous race circuit, Goodwood.
Truro High’s students also welcomed a new member to their pit crew for the day as they were joined by professional racing driver, Johnny Mowlem – the result of last week winning a national competition to create a film about their passion for motorsports engineering. Johnny has driven for the likes of Lotus, Ferrari and Porsche.
Truro High is a three-time recipient of the Spirit of Greenpower award and the only school in the country to be recognised as an official club by Motorsport UK – a first in UK automotive history which enables students to undertake specialist motorsport training and even work trackside at Formula 1 events.
ITV Formula One presenter and President of the Truro High Motorsports Club, Louise Goodman said: “Engineering is partly about the theory but also about the practice and the school has adopted a very much ‘hands on’ approach to the subject with its participation in the Greenpower Series. The girls don’t just study how to build a car they actually build it which makes it a far more engaging experience.”
Photo credit: Spacesuit
