Lexus Eco Challenge Air And Climate
The Daniel Boone High School’s Go Clean, Go Green, Gooo Algae Team, or Green Team for short, won the Lexus Eco Air & Climate Challenge and a $10,000.00 prize! As winners in this Challenge, the Green Team has been invited to participate in the Lexus Eco Final Challenge which carries a $30,000.00 prize.
http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3750833
http://readingeagle.com/article/20131229/NEWS/312299935/1041
http://gerlach.house.gov/news/email/show.aspx?ID=X726FTKFGV46DXCL2ZE2FRF5MI
http://readingeagle.com/article/20140108/NEWS/301089966
Lancaster Farming Page 1: http://lfg.live.mediaspanonline.com/assets/10352826/E01BIFS-011114_1.pdf
Lancaster Farming Page 2: http://lfg.live.mediaspanonline.com/assets/10352852/E02BIFS-011114_1.pdf
We will be continuing to focus on Algae as our clean, renewable energy topic. As a part of the Lexus Eco Final Challenge, we will continue to educate our community, state, and nation on this fuel alternative. So far the Green Team has been invited to present our research to two Pennsylvania State Senate Committees on January 13, 2014. We have also been invited to present our research in Washington, DC, to members of the US Senate and their Staff. We will be in DC for these presentations on January 20 and 21, 2014.
We want to thank all of our friends, families, and community members who have supported us and encouraged us on this Lexus Eco Challenge Journey!
http://readingeagle.com/article/20131229/NEWS/312299935/1041
http://gerlach.house.gov/news/email/show.aspx?ID=X726FTKFGV46DXCL2ZE2FRF5MI
http://readingeagle.com/article/20140108/NEWS/301089966
Lancaster Farming Page 1: http://lfg.live.mediaspanonline.com/assets/10352826/E01BIFS-011114_1.pdf
Lancaster Farming Page 2: http://lfg.live.mediaspanonline.com/assets/10352852/E02BIFS-011114_1.pdf
We will be continuing to focus on Algae as our clean, renewable energy topic. As a part of the Lexus Eco Final Challenge, we will continue to educate our community, state, and nation on this fuel alternative. So far the Green Team has been invited to present our research to two Pennsylvania State Senate Committees on January 13, 2014. We have also been invited to present our research in Washington, DC, to members of the US Senate and their Staff. We will be in DC for these presentations on January 20 and 21, 2014.
We want to thank all of our friends, families, and community members who have supported us and encouraged us on this Lexus Eco Challenge Journey!
This year the Daniel Boone High School’s Algae Bioreactor Research Group decided to partake in the Lexus Eco Challenge #2 – The Air and Climate Challenge. The Lexus Eco Challenge is a life-changing opportunity for teens across the nation to make a difference in the environmental health of our planet, one community at a time. The remaining tabs on this webpage serve to document our participation in this challenge. More information about this challenge may be obtained at the following webpage.
We have entered this challenge under the following topic: Fossil Fuels and Renewable Energy. Our first step in this process was to complete the construction of six more bulk algae bioreactors and to repair four other experimental algae bioreactors. As we wish to educate other students in different schools, this construction and repair was filmed and turned into instructional videos that will be posted on our webpage and YouTube.
Our next stage centered around populating our bioreactors with algae. Our team harvested algae from a local pond to use as our “seed” algae in our reactors. Using our experimental algae bioreactors, we performed experiments in order to determine the nourishment routine needed in order to promote optimal algae growth. We also attempted to identify the algae species through microscopic studies. At the same time, we seeded our bulk growth algae bioreactor and grew enough algae to begin the drying process. Afterwards, we dried some of the algae and learned the mechanical and chemical processes necessary in order to extract the lipid oil from the algae. Finally, we converted the lipid oil into diesel through a process known as transesterification.
The paragraphs above document the laboratory aspect of our participation in the Lexus Eco Challenge. At the same time, we were also planning our community outreach aspect of the Challenge. Using the Daniel Boone webpage we advertised our Algae Bioreactor Premiere Event to our local community.
We have entered this challenge under the following topic: Fossil Fuels and Renewable Energy. Our first step in this process was to complete the construction of six more bulk algae bioreactors and to repair four other experimental algae bioreactors. As we wish to educate other students in different schools, this construction and repair was filmed and turned into instructional videos that will be posted on our webpage and YouTube.
Our next stage centered around populating our bioreactors with algae. Our team harvested algae from a local pond to use as our “seed” algae in our reactors. Using our experimental algae bioreactors, we performed experiments in order to determine the nourishment routine needed in order to promote optimal algae growth. We also attempted to identify the algae species through microscopic studies. At the same time, we seeded our bulk growth algae bioreactor and grew enough algae to begin the drying process. Afterwards, we dried some of the algae and learned the mechanical and chemical processes necessary in order to extract the lipid oil from the algae. Finally, we converted the lipid oil into diesel through a process known as transesterification.
The paragraphs above document the laboratory aspect of our participation in the Lexus Eco Challenge. At the same time, we were also planning our community outreach aspect of the Challenge. Using the Daniel Boone webpage we advertised our Algae Bioreactor Premiere Event to our local community.
During this event, the Green Team divided into two sub teams: the “Why” and “How” teams. The “Why” team discussed their Background Research and the history of algae as an emerging renewable energy crop. The “How” team demonstrated every aspect in the process of transforming algae into biodiesel including the growth, harvesting, drying, mechanical and chemical extraction processes, and the chemical transformation process of the algae lipid oil to biodiesel fuel. Each team presented three times during the evening to capacity crowds.
The event attracted Birdsboro Mayor Bob Myers, three college professors, 19 school district faculty members, five school district administrators, two school board members, and 61 parents and students for a total of 92 attendees.
This Algae Bioreactor Premiere event is photographically documented under the “Algae Bioreactor Premiere Photos” and the “Algae Bioreactor Premiere Videos” tabs.
The Lexus Logo at the top is TM ® & © 2013 Scholastic Inc.
This Algae Bioreactor Premiere event is photographically documented under the “Algae Bioreactor Premiere Photos” and the “Algae Bioreactor Premiere Videos” tabs.
The Lexus Logo at the top is TM ® & © 2013 Scholastic Inc.