Unique in Germany: HYPOS launches a module on green hydrogen together with the Gustav-Hertz-Gymnasium high school in Leipzig.

As part of the “HYPOS macht Schule” (“HYPOS goes to back to school”) educational project, a module on green hydrogen will kick off in September 2021. During the lessons on green future perspectives at the Gustav-Hertz-Gymnasium, the possibilities of the climate-friendly energy medium will be presented to the pupils in Leipzig in a multifaceted and practical way.

Green hydrogen for the 8th grade

The high school students of the Gustav-Hertz-Gymnasium have a full school semester to explore the entire value chain of green hydrogen. From the production from renewable energy through electrolysis, to the different transport and storage possibilities of this green gas, and the various possible applications, such as in industry or mobility. The teacher Romy Hortenbach will accompany the pupils as they explore the importance of the green gas for the energy transition and climate protection throughout its path along the value chain. For the chemistry and geography teacher, energy is one of the most important elixirs of life in our society. It is important to conserve finite resources and develop alternatives at the same time. “Sustainable development is something that already starts in schools. That’s why the ‘Green Hydrogen’ module is a special subject designed to teach applied natural sciences exactly as they are: fascinating, sustainable, exploratory, innovative and forward-looking,” says Ms Hortenbach.

With electrolysis experiment kits, instructional games, discussions with H2 experts and insights into various job profiles in the hydrogen industry, the students can familiarise themselves with the topic from various perspectives. During an excursion to the HYPOS hydrogen village in the Bitterfeld-Wolfen Chemical Park, the students see a complete experimental plant that simulates the distribution of hydrogen all the way up to its connection to private households. At the end of the module, the students apply the knowledge they have gained in a future workshop and using the example of their own school, which incidentally is already equipped with a solar system, formulate how the potential of green hydrogen can be exploited.

Education and the application of knowledge as a milestone in fostering acceptance

Green hydrogen has long been a hot topic in politics and business, but for the majority of the population it is no more than an abstract concept. With various activities, the German hydrogen network HYPOS seeks to convey a concrete understanding of the climate-friendly energy medium and its technologies. In July 2020, as part of the HyNet acceptance project, a request for interest began from secondary schools in the Halle/Leipzig area regarding a joint teaching unit or project work on green hydrogen.

“With the Gustav-Hertz-Gymnasium, HYPOS found a partner from the very beginning that is equally passionate about the topic of sustainability and green hydrogen. We were therefore delighted to work together to prepare the complex content for the pupils in the 8th to 10th grades in a clear and pedagogical manner,” says Mareike Wald, the project manager of the acceptance project. “The fact that HYPOS can now ‘go back to school’ with a complete module as a pilot as early as September, despite the pandemic situation, is a result of very constructive cooperation and a shared view of the important questions of education in the area of the future of energy.”

Besides developing a comprehensive teaching concept and providing instructional material that has been pedagogically refined, the goal of the module is to provide the pupils with the methods and knowledge to make responsible and differentiated decisions for their own energy future. In the second half of the year, further individually tailored project days on green hydrogen are scheduled with various educational institutions in central Germany. The focus of “HYPOS macht Schule” project is on the 8th to 10th grades.

Image source: Logo HYPOS macht Schule © HYPOS e.V.