St Joseph’s Primary School, Adelong, students, Riley Maher, Year 4, Harry Pearce, Year 5, and Ted Pearce, Year 6, have done their school community proud, winning first place in the Snowy Hydro Science Week Competition.

Students living in the Snowy Mountains region were invited to design power stations of the future that generate 100 per cent Australian-made renewable energy. Winners were named in two categories, one chosen by a judge and the other voted on by the community.

Riley won first place in the judge’s category and was the runner up in the community section for his design of a lightning harnessing power station. Cousins Harry and Ted Pearce built a solar powered fan, winning first place in the community section and runner up in the judge’s category.

Riley designed a lightning catcher to be based in the Kimberley as this area has the most storm activity in Australia. “The metal spike and ball attached to the top of the lightning towers attract and gather energy from the lightning,” said Riley.

“The surge protector at the bottom of the rod stops the electricity going in too fast and wrecking the battery. The power will then go to a substation to feed into power stations all around Australia,” he said.

To build their model, Harry and Ted used a solar panel and a dead battery that they had found in a shed. They connected the panel to a lead to charge up the battery that now powers the fan. They had to use electrical tape to repair part of the lead that had been damaged in the Dunns Road bushfire.

“It took us one morning and three afternoons to complete,” said Harry.

The boys won an overnight safari adventure to either Taronga Zoo in Sydney or the Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. They also won the opportunity to tour the Snowy Hydro Tumut 3 power station with their class.

Kerrie Dean, Year 5/6 teacher at St Joseph’s, said the school was very proud of the boys. “They put a lot of effort in,” she said.