Carl-Orff-Realschule: Solar car shows the future of mobility!

Carl-Orff-Realschule: Solar car shows the future of mobility!

The first "Solarcars+ Challenge" in Rhineland-Palatinate took place on June 3, 2025 in Bad Dürkheim. The Carl-Orff Realschule entered the competition as one of the participating schools, which is characterized by the promotion of solar energy and technical education. Project manager Mathias Peter and sponsor Ralf Baier are central figures that support the school's commitment. The competition is held by the Rhineland-Palatinate Pedagogical State Institute and has the goal of motivating students to construct and optimize their own solar vehicles.

Five schools from the cities of Neuwied, Trier, Bad Dürkheim, Germersheim and Bad Bergzabern are involved in this pilot phase of the Solarcar Challenge competition. This initial round is part of a larger plan to lead to the school program of the coming school year 2025/26. Findings from the pilot phase will flow into further planning in order to further improve and adapt the concept. Registrations for participation will be published in the second half of the school year 2024/25, accompanied by necessary information on the application.

competitive elements and goals

In the context of the competition, students in classes 5 to 10 solar cars must design that score not only at speed, but also in the precise and efficient use of solar energy. An integrated modular system enables the students to have individual concepts and designs. A distinction is made between "kit class" and "open class", whereby the open class teams enable teams to develop their own concepts and further develop existing vehicles.

A variety of evaluation criteria that also take into account the creativity of the vehicles must be met. The students should not only challenge these approaches at a technical level, but also stimulate creatively and gain them for future professions in engineering. Support for teachers is provided by presence events and individual school visits, which is intended to strengthen the pedagogical accompaniment in schools.

sustainability in education

The competition is in the context of increasing concern for climate change, especially in young people, hand in hand. According to solarbildung.org , almost half of the young people between the ages of 14 and 29 are concerned about the effects of climate change. With the approach of integrating sustainability into class, an attempt is made to transform fainting into confidence and courage and enable students to actively work on their energy future.

The project should not only convey technical understanding, but also promote sustainable ways of thinking. With suitable learning materials that are intended for different age groups, the topic of solar energy is researched and made tangible. This global teaching approach encourages all students and not only those who are enthusiastic about the MINT subjects to deal with technology and environmental issues.