Hi guys! Marina Ventura here. Adventurer and certified button-presser of all things cool!
Mapp App and I have been on a mission to find out how we might make our own electricity in the future… and share it with the people living around us.
We asked you to let your imaginations run wild and design your very own microgrid and explain how it would work.
And wow, did you deliver! You thought like an engineer and problem-solver as you decided where the power should come from, how it gets around, where it could be stored and how everything and everybody can stay connected
We have animated your best designs – and it’s here in this animation!
Hit play to join us as we zoom into the world of micro-grids and see the designed that you created…
Darcey, Annabelle and Bobby created an adventure ride micro-grid…
Our micro grid is called the Ups and Downs micro grid. It is powering a rollercoaster with wind turbines and tidal. The electricity generated is stored in batteries and electric vehicles. And there is a system for balancing the electricity. When too much electricity is generated, it is stored – and when not enough is generated for the rollercoaster, it uses the electricity that has been stored before.
John’s plan was of Electrotown, which uses a wide range of renewables…
Welcome to Electro Town – A Beachfront town that is powered from 100% Electricity. It harnesses the power of Water, Wind, and Sun, having 2 Wave Power Plants, a Hydroelectric Dam, 2 Solar Farms, and a Wind Turbine Farm to power Cafes, Restaurants, a School, a Hospital, a Hotel, a Police & Fire Station, a Shopping Centre, a smaller beachside shop, several flats and housing plots, and a MagLev Train Station. To achieve this, Electro Town has its own Government – which bans non-electric vehicles, smoking/vaping, littering, and abuse of nature, amongst other things, which makes this town the only one in the world to be 100% green and pro-nature!
Heidi sent us a plan that was very focused on renewables…
My microgrid is called Green Valley Microgrid. It makes clean electricity using solar panels, wind turbines and a water wheel. The electricity travels along the wires to the battery, where extra power can be stored until it is needed. The power control box then sends electricity to the houses, school, shop and community centre. This means the village can still have power when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing. I chose renewable energy because it is better for the planet and does not make lots of pollution.
Violet created a future microgrid…
My microgrid is a little town, with solar and wind that powers the town and what energy is too much goes to the grid for others to use.
And Blossom created a safety focused design. Safety is a very important thing for engineers to think about so this was a winning design for us.…
I’ve made my micro grid out in the countryside which is where I like it best. The electricity is used to power the lighthouse and the small village near the water. I made sure it doesn’t run into the water for safety and is powered by wind turbines.
Well done to everyone who entered. Every single entry was absolutely brilliant, and choosing our favourites was tougher than teaching a robot to dance! So don’t stop now… keep those creative minds going. Who knows? One day your ideas could be the next big invention changing the world!
Once you’ve watched, why not have a go at designing your very own micro-grid?
And there’s loads more to explore over on the Marina Ventura and the Micro Gridders page.
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