Former Glen Marais residents win silver medal at the Eskom Expo
The Grade 10 learners at Hoërskool Waterkloof earned a silver medal in the Renewable Energy category.
Former Glen Marais residents, Hendre and Teneal Keyser (16), have achieved remarkable success at the 45th Eskom Expo International Science Fair (ISF), earning a silver medal in the Renewable Energy category.
The event was held at the Convention Centre at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park recently and brought together the brightest young scientists from across South Africa and countries around the world, including Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ireland, India and Russia.
The fair provided learners with a platform to present their innovative projects to expert judges, while also participating in tours, workshops and science demonstrations designed to ignite their curiosity.
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“We are extremely proud of our achievement. It was an amazing experience, and we would definitely love to take part again in the future,” said Keyser.
The Grade 10 learners at Hoërskool Waterkloof said their research began when they had to complete a science project at school.
They said they love Hartebeespoort Dam and have always been interested in the hyacinth invasion on the dam.
“When we had to choose a subject for a science project for school, it was only natural that we chose something from our environment that had been challenging for so long. In the end, it was our science teacher who encouraged and nominated us to take part in the Eskom Expo.”
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Their project, called Hyacinths to Bio Coal, involved harvesting, drying and carbonising the hyacinths, followed by testing various binding materials to produce bio-coal briquettes. The bio coal was then tested for heat generation.
The experiment confirmed that water hyacinth can be successfully carbonised into bio coal and that with the right binding material it can serve as a practical and sustainable alternative to charcoal.
“This was our first time participating at the ISF Eskom Expo. We would like to thank all our mentors and Eskom for such a great opportunity.
“We’re passionate about science and research, and both intend to pursue a career in medicine. This study was an amazing opportunity that gave us valuable experience for our future academic journey.”
