Powerscourt Primary School pupils prove that electricity can be created from the food we eat

Can electricity be created form the food we eat? This was the question posed by 5th and 6th class pupils in Powerscourt National School in Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow posed as part of a project for the Primary Schools Science Fair earlier this year in the RDS.

To demonstrate their project, they constructed  a circuit which they connected to a bike. When the children cycled the bike they converted the energy they got from their food into electricity – Click here to view a video of the project which explains fully how they proved their experiment.

The children, supported by their teacher Stephen Middleton, undertook the project with great enthusiasm and  interest. He says: “Teaching science can be a challenge but bringing it to life through experiments like this brings huge benefits. The children learnt so much from the project. Not just from the science but also from working in groups.”

In conjunction with the school, ESB arranged for the project to be filmed and presented by Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin.

Bernardine Maloney, ESB’s Corporate Communications and Public Affairs  Manager, says that the commissioning of the video is in line with the company’s commitment to engage young people in science, technology, engineering (STEM) subjects. “For a number of years ESB has been supporting young people and adults to engage with science, technology and engineering so that they can become the entrepreneurs and innovators of the future. We have been doing this through our partnerships with organisations like the Science Gallery, Engineers Ireland and Tech Space. We recently launched an Education Hub on our website and are delighted to be able to add this resource to our offering.”

Visit ESB’s Education Hub: https://esb.ie/education-hub