Library Workshop Review: Sustainable Energy #1

Our March 2026 Library Workshop built on participants’ growing understanding of renewable energy through the construction of a solar-powered car. Once completed, participants tested their cars under bright light and observed how the solar panel converted light energy into electrical energy to power the motor and move the car.

How the Solar-Powered Car Works

The solar-powered car works by using a photovoltaic (solar) panel to convert light energy into electrical energy. This electricity powers a small motor, which turns the gears and wheels, causing the car to move forward. Through this process, participants explored several important STEM concepts, including energy conversion, electrical circuits, gear transmission, rotational motion, and renewable energy.

Preparation Challenge

One of the main challenges during preparation was ensuring that the gears meshed correctly and that the solar panel was securely positioned to receive sufficient light. During testing, we found that even slight misalignment of the gears could reduce the car’s performance. The team therefore adjusted the assembly instructions to help participants achieve smoother operation.

On the Day

Interest in the workshop was very high, and the session reached full capacity with 25 participants attending. Participants were highly engaged throughout the session, especially when connecting the solar panel and testing their completed cars for the first time. They compared the speed of their cars, discussed how changes in light intensity affected performance, and helped one another troubleshoot gear and wheel alignment issues. It was great to hear lots of interesting discussions about sustainable transport, renewable energy, and how clean energy technologies might be used in the future.

Participant Feedback

A 7-year-old participant said “I was surprised that the car could move using light. It was really cool to see the wheels start turning when we put it under the lamp.”

An 8.5-year-old participant said “I learned that a solar panel changes light energy into electricity. Building the car helped me understand how renewable energy can be used to power real machines.”