The Naturgy Foundation resumes its travelling Energy Challenge experience in Cantabria to raise awareness of the environmental challenges faced by the planet
The energy company’s foundation is once again offering this innovative initiative to the educational community and the general public, with a strict health protocol to guarantee the safety of visitors.
The Energy Challenge, which will be set up in Castro Urdiales and Torrelavega, invites people to reflect on energy consumption, air quality and the circular economy, in an interactive space journey on board an efficient vehicle guided by a state-of-the-art robot.
In Cantabria this week, the Naturgy Foundation resumes the Energy Challenge, an innovative, travelling experience that aims to teach young people and the general public about the energy transition, the circular economy, air quality and new energy technologies.
This informative initiative arrived today in Castro Urdiales, and has been set up next to the Menéndez Pelayo School, where its students plan to visit up until tomorrow. From Wednesday until next Friday, the Energy Challenge will move to the Amestoy Park (in Calle Jardines), where it will continue to be visited by other educational centres and, in the evenings, remain open to the public from 4pm to 7pm.
Next week, the vehicle will move to Torrelavega, where it can be visited from 26 to 30 October.
The Managing Director of the Naturgy Foundation, María Eugenia Coronado, highlighted the fact that “this ground-breaking initiative that explains the planet’s energy-related environmental challenge in a very didactic way” has been launched again. “Now more than ever we feel it is our duty to walk alongside citizens and, especially, the educational community, to spread knowledge about the new technologies available in the field of energy,” she affirmed.
For her part, Eva Buch, head of Education and Dissemination at the Foundation, explained that “as a dissemination resource, we want to respond to the call from teachers, who are demanding access to STEM training resources with full safety guarantees and health protocols in line with those of their centres”.
Following the suspension of this initiative due to the COVID-19 health crisis, the Naturgy Foundation has adapted the Energy Challenge to the regulations established by the national health authorities and those of each Autonomous Community, with the aim of ensuring all its visitors can stay safe.
Following its trip through Cantabria, this initiative is bound for Galicia and the region of Madrid. Since its launch in December last year, within the framework of COP 25 in Madrid, this informational resource has received more than 6,000 visitors.
A futuristic aircraft with suggestions to solve the energy challenge
The Energy Challenge invites people to reflect on energy consumption, air quality and the circular economy, in an interactive space journey on board an efficient vehicle guided by the state-of-the-art Energy 360 robot.
Through the 360° projection of around one hundred videos and a system of rotating seats, the visitors themselves become part of a space mission to solve the energy challenge at a time of transition to decarbonisation like today.
On their 20-minute journey, crew members observe the Earth and the Cosmos to reflect on and become aware of the planet’s climate emergency and the need to contribute to key issues such as the circular economy, air quality and new technologies and energy carriers, such as renewable gases.
The initiative shows the key role of innovation and responsible consumption habits in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to energy.
What’s more, the Naturgy Foundation has installed this experience in an environmentally friendly 70 m2 vehicle, which has a dual natural gas engine. When running, it generates between 15% and 20% less CO2 emissions than conventional diesel engines. It also helps improve air quality by reducing emissions of particles by 39% and NOx emissions by 30% compared to a vehicle running on diesel fuel alone.
The Naturgy Foundation’s dissemination vocation
This project forms part of the education and awareness-raising programme being carried out by the Naturgy Foundation in various Spanish cities on energy- and environment-related issues. Its fundamental objective is to promote the rational use of energy resources, energy efficiency and technological innovation among citizens, in a manner consistent with environmental protection.
Set up by the power company in 1992, the Naturgy Foundation seeks to educate, train, inform and raise awareness throughout society of energy and environmental issues. It also develops social action programmes both nationally and internationally, in particular by supporting initiatives aimed at alleviating energy vulnerability.
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