Top science high schools create innovative energy solutions in competition

MANILA, Philippines — Shell, the Dutch global power, energy and gas giant, has announced the top science high schools that made it to the finals of the “The Bright Ideas Challenge Philippines” (TBIC), a national competition on innovative energy solutions that the company is introducing.

The competition isn’t just a competition. It aims to spark students’ curiosity in tackling real world problems through energy efficiency and other innovative ways, said Ramon del Rosario, vice president for external and government relations of Shell Companies in the Philippines (SciP), during the opening of the students’ exhibit at the Mind Museum in BGC, Taguig.

“We hope to inspire a generation of innovative Filipino scientists, thinkers, mentors, city planners and decision-makers through The Bright Ideas Challenge,” he said.

Out of 26 teams that submitted entries on how to sustainably power future cities, 10 chosen finalists were student groups from Meridian Learning International Experience, St. Theresa’s College, CCF Life Academy, Dumaguete Science High School, Philippine Science High School Cagayan Valley, CEU Senior High School, and Biñan National High School.

Sankie Simbulan, social performance and social investment manager of SCiP, said the competition aims to propel future leaders to think big and use teamwork and STEM in solving problems, particularly how future cities might run in cleaner and healthier ways.

“We are also giving high school students a platform to be seen and heard, and help deliver the school curriculum through an innovative, more engaging approach,”  Simbulan said.

Del Rosario added that the ideas of this year’s finalists contain elements of sustainability, energy efficiency, science, technology and engineering.

“The ideas here can be used in communities which don’t have access to energy and water,” he said.

At the end of the competition, the student team from Philippine Science High School Cagayan Valley (Team Pisay CVC) and their prototype invention called “Pipe-to Manalo-to” was named grand prize winner. The team received a P100,000 prize package for their school that they can use to pursue their STEM program. In addition, the team also wins P100,000 and a fully-funded trip to attend the Make the Future festival in Singapore.

ERMACC Energy Binan National High School was named first runner-up while second runner-up honors went to Centro Escolar University Senior High School. Also adjudged merit award winners were Team LIT Ideas and P for Power, both of Meridian Learning International Experience.

The second prize winner received P70,000, plus another P70,000 for their school’s STEM program, while the third prize winner received P50,000 plus another P50,000 prize package for their school’s STEM program. The merit winners, meanwhile, each received a P10,000 prize package.

Team Pisay CVC of Philippine Science High School Cagayan Valley was able to miniaturize the principle of hydroelectric power generation for household application.

“Our idea can produce less than five kilowatts of electricity, which can charge a mobile phone and power house lights,” said team leader John Paolo Lumanlan.

Lumanlan added that the generator uses a Kaplan propeller made from tin cans fitted into a pipe T-joint. The T-joint can replace the elbow joints of house water pipes and the water pressure runs the device like a dynamo with current flowing through an abutting electrical wire.

Designed to show how STEM can tackle real world problems, TBIC invited high school students from Grades 7 to 12, aged between 12 to 18 years old, to participate.

It is part of the Shell group’s efforts to powering future cities and achieve its vision of a low carbon world.