Renewable Energy for Kids – Teaching Kids About Renewable Energy

Many parents want to teach their children about renewable energy and energy efficiency at an early age because once they get used to it, it will be a habit they will carry on for the rest of their lives. But where should you start when teaching kids renewable energy? A good idea would be to start by defining exactly what renewable energy is. You can suggest that they make a list of renewable and non-renewable energy sources and build from there. Some examples would be:

Non-renewable: Oil/gas, natural gas, coal, nuclear

Renewable: Solar, wind, geothermal, hydro/water

Explain to them how renewable energy comes from natural forces. It differs from fossil fuels in that it does not produce greenhouse gases or other pollutants. You can explain in more detail how the mass production of electricity using renewable energy sources has become more popular recently. Some of the reasons why it is becoming more popular include: climate change caused by pollution and fossil fuels are running out and becoming more expensive.

A great idea is to teach children about energy efficiency. Ask them to make a list of all the electrical devices they use during a day, such as TV, computer, lights, etc. and for how long, and if possible the power of each device. If they can’t get the wattage, you can look up the average wattage of each device for demo purposes. Do a rough calculation to show them how much energy they are using in a day. Now ask them to make an ‘energy conservation’ day where they turn off devices when not in use, turn off lights when not in a room, turn down the heating or air conditioning a couple of degrees, etc. Now recalculate the daily power and show them how much energy they saved with a few simple changes.

Another great idea is to show them how installing a solar panel or windmill can generate electricity for their own home. It’s not as expensive as you might think. You don’t need an expensive commercial solar panel, you can build your own for $100-200 bucks and your kids might even help if they’re old enough. The less you take energy for granted, the better.