SUSTAINABLE AMBITIONS
The founders of the student group Sustainable Generation started with big ambitions, just like many student groups before them. But they had something else: a well-thought out strategy for making their ideals a reality.
The group's mission is to implement renewable energy projects in rural areas. In 2012 they completed their first project, a mini-hydropower plant in a remote Thai village that provides enough power for 30 light bulbs – a big step forward for a village that is not hooked up to the electricity grid. The students also provided training and instructions so the villagers can maintain the plant themselves.
In preparation, they approached the Centre of Development and Resources for advice on communities that could use their help and put together a detailed plan on costings for the generators, water pipes and other components and expenses such as flights. They also worked with the Faculty of Engineering to apply for KE funding.
Sony Han, a third-year Engineering student and one of the driving forces behind Sustainable Generation, said they were motivated by a desire to make the most of their university education.
Responsibility to Help
"A lot of student societies are about social activities but we thought that as university students, we have a responsibility to apply our knowledge in areas that can use our help," he says.
"The [KE] funding was crucial because it made the project possible in a material sense and it also showed we were legitimate and not messing around when we applied for sponsorship outside the University." The group also has support from the Hong Kong Electric Clean Energy Fund.
Sustainable Generation includes students from Engineering, Architecture and Journalism and Sony said they were using expertise from all of them. For instance, they are currently looking at how to use social media to promote their group and investigating social enterprise opportunities as a way to fund future projects that help to sustain others.
"We can't go to every village in the world so we plan to install, demonstrate and teach others how to do it for themselves," Sony adds.
