Sohail Din of Kristin College, New Zealand attended this year’s Global Alliance for Innovative Learning (GAIL). The conference asked its young attendees to consider and build on the its theme ‘Energising the World’s Future’. These are his thoughts.
When we consume energy, we are doing what we must to survive in the modern environment in which we live. What is of concern to us today and for the future is the ‘how’ in this equation. While we are still largely dependent upon fossil fuels for energy and will continue to need them in some shape or form for the foreseeable future, we must start considering seriously the suitability of other more efficient, effective and environmentally sound sources that will complement already existing forms of energy.
When I applied to be a GAIL (Global Alliance for Innovative Learning) delegate, I did so not really fully believing that I would be selected to represent Kristin College, New Zealand, at this year’s convention. However, I was chosen and, before I knew it, I had landed in Scotland and was surrounded by unfamiliar faces from unfamiliar places! It was daunting to begin with but the words of Simon Mills, Head of Robert Gordon’s College – “The more you put into this week, the more you will get out of it” – inspired me to relax and think in a considered way about the benefits of getting fully involved. This has proven to be very valuable advice for all the group tasks this week, where all of our energies have been focused upon, well, ‘Energy’!
A highlight of the week has certainly been the experiments we carried out to assess the potential effectiveness of a range of power sources such as tidal, solar, biomass, wind and geothermal energies. The fantastic PASCO equipment that we were given to conduct experiments was astounding. It taught me, for example, that the size of the blade on wind turbines isn’t what makes them faster but the output is actually determined more by the angle and the mass of the blade. As a result of our activities this week, I have certainly arrived at a much better understanding of the fundamentals of how kinetic energy works.
It’s amazing to think about how far we have come in terms of developing emerging energy technologies. In addition to learning about how energy is produced in smaller scale experiments, the GAIL Convention delegates went to visit the Biomass Energy Centre in Banchory. This proved to be a completely new insight for me into this form of energy – I hadn’t even heard of biomass beforehand. What appealed to me most about this energy source is that it uses a model that is attempting to be as efficient as possible and is environmentally sustainable.
For me, GAIL has given me a greater understanding of what global unity is – working with others from around the world toward a common goal. This week has changed my perspective on life and on how I view new situations and experiences. I have really enjoyed researching and discovering new ways in which energy can be developed and harnessed. It is my hope that some of the ideas we have generated will become part of a brighter future for energy use in New Zealand.
Sohail’s opinions have been recorded and presented for this article by Dylan Lee, one of twelve S4-S6 pupils at Robert Gordon’s College who have been members of a media team reporting on the GAIL Convention from Sunday 26 June until Friday 1 July.
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