Hydrogen Optimized congratulates Grade 11 student Veronica Guo for winning the Hydrogen Optimized Green Energy Award at the 2024 Canada-Wide Science Fair. Guo, a student at York House School in Greater Vancouver, won the award for her project, “A Novel, Cost-Effective Biological Photovoltaic for Wastewater Treatment”, in the science fair’s Senior category.
Guo’s project was designed to address the need for both renewable energy alternatives and clean water. Her solution uses a biological photovoltaic (BPV) – a device that uses a photosynthetic organism to convert solar energy into electrical energy – to produce long-lasting power. The algae in the BPV is able to metabolize nutrients that accumulate to excess levels in half of the world’s bodies of water, in a process called eutrophication. Developing a cost-effective BPV to treat eutrophication and produce sustainable energy is a new dual-purpose solution that could make a significant impact on two of the most important environmental issues of today.
The Canada-Wide Science Fair, held this year in Ottawa, is Canada’s foremost annual youth science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) event, bringing together top young scientists and their projects nationwide. Hydrogen Optimized sponsors the Green Energy award as part of its commitment to fostering Canada’s next generation of STEM innovators. The award recognizes the Senior student whose project demonstrates outstanding innovation in the green energy field.
Guo’s project can be viewed at https://projectboard.world/ysc/project/a-novel-cost-effective-biological-photovoltaic-for-wastewater-treatment.
