Energy Saving Village offers exciting experiments for children and young people

The model Energy Savings Village was opened at the Ensdorf Environmental Station at Ensdorf Monastery, Germany.

What impact does energy production have on our climate? What are the biggest power guzzlers at home? And who decides where our electricity comes from? Pupils, as well as interested youth and adult groups, can now explore these questions at the Ensdorf Environmental Station. This is made possible by an interactive model energy village that uses experiments and role-playing games to shed light on the topic of the energy transition from many different angles.

 The model energy village at the Ensdorf Environmental Station is a giant game board with energy producers and consumers. Here you can explore energy topics independently.

 The interactive model of a community of 8,000 inhabitants looks like a giant game board with wooden houses. Inside, all the buildings and usable areas have plug-in modules that simulate the impact on energy consumption when, for example, the washing machine is running everywhere or the effects of a solar system on the roof. Pupils can thus independently research energy topics and their interrelationships in a community.

 Phase one of the workshop is about how energy is generated in the first place: The young people can try out how long they have to pedal on a bicycle to generate enough energy for a kettle or a radio.

 In phase two of the workshop, participants learn how they can influence energy consumption: What uses how much electricity? And where can it come from? Phase three of the workshops sheds light on the democratic dimension of the energy transition: In a role play, the young people slip into the roles of electricity providers, farmers and municipal decision-makers and try to achieve the best for the community together. Thanks to the plug-in panels inside, participants can influence the energy consumption of their homes.

 A workshop with the Energy Saving Village can be booked by school classes from year five upwards as well as interested youth and adult groups. An adapted version for children is also possible.