As part of a regional partnership, the solar collector manufacturer AKOTEC recently held a project day on solar thermal energy with the students of the Freie Draußenschule in Angermünde. During a playful crafting morning, the AKOTEC team taught the children all about the power of the sun. AKOTEC supports the young educational project through sponsorship to help ease the school’s startup years. The rapidly expanding company is always on the lookout for skilled personnel. Therefore, the collaboration with the Freie Draußenschule is an investment in the future by AKOTEC.
Already in December, AKOTEC CEO Reinhold Weiser presented the school principal, Ramon Hassel, with a certificate confirming AKOTEC’s support for the Freie Draußenschule. Nearly six months later, the weather and the COVID situation finally allowed, and the solar collector manufacturer team visited the students of the newly established school for an interactive project day on solar thermal energy.
With a sample collector and a crafting kit in hand, AKOTEC entered the playground of the Freie Draußenschule Angermünde. On the grounds of the former Ehm-Welk Museum, an entire morning of fun and learning about solar thermal energy was scheduled. In the first part of the project morning, the children, along with AKOTEC project engineer Uwe Sonnenfeld, explored the world of the sun. How hot is the sun, really? And how old is it compared to our Earth? After that, it was time for crafting and tinkering.
Using test tubes, straws, and modeling clay, the children developed their own solar heat capture machines with great concentration and skill. They filled coffee into a test tube, added a straw and a wooden stick at the top. If the straw moved upward, the liquid in the test tube had warmed up, indicating that solar heat had been produced. While the children waited for their solar machines, which had sales-worthy names like “Himmelhitze” or “Wärmsolar 3000,” to produce warm water, AKOTEC employee and solar expert Uwe Sonnenfeld illustrated the power of the sun to the students with a sample collector.
The functionality of the handmade machines resembles that of a real solar collector. Water flows through a thin copper pipe inside a tube. On top of it, a thin, blue-colored copper sheet is mounted, which absorbs a lot of solar energy. As a result, the water is heated. The special feature of AKOTEC collectors: Because a vacuum is created inside the tube, AKOTEC full-vacuum collectors achieve a much higher efficiency than conventional flat plate collectors.
The day ended with a fun tag game, in which not only the children but also the AKOTEC team and the teachers participated with full enthusiasm. By the end of the day, each child went home knowing that warm water for bathing or the cozy heat from the heating system is produced solely by the power of the sun — completely environmentally friendly and climate-neutral in their hometown of Angermünde.
The Freie Draußenschule opened its doors in the summer of 2020 as the newest educational project in Uckermark. Before receiving state funding, the school must finance itself independently for three years. AKOTEC supports the Freie Draußenschule during these first three years with a fixed annual sum and the organization of project days. Supporting the Freie Draußenschule is not only a sign of regional cohesion but also an investment in the future.
The successful Angermünde solar company is always on the lookout for qualified personnel. However, there is a significant shortage of skilled workers in the region. Collaborations like this one help instill a sense of connection to their hometown in even the youngest individuals, highlighting future prospects later on.
Funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Energy with funds from the European Social Fund and the State of Brandenburg. Learn more.
