News & Event

The Ministry of Education, represented by the Department of Innovation and Scientific Olympiads, in cooperation with PDO, implemented a four-day program of incubating student scientific innovations for the PDO Renewable Energy Award in its fifth edition (Hydrogen Energy). The first phase of the program started on Wednesday and ended yesterday (Saturday) and targeted (10) of students in grades (8-11) from various educational directorates in the governorates of the Sultanate of Oman.

A number of (5) scientific innovations from the various educational directorate in the governorates of the Sultanate of Oman participated in the program, namely: hydrogen production from the reaction of hydrochloric acid with dunnite rock and meteorite rocks for Hafsa bint Omar School for Basic Education from Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, hydrogen production of hydrogen gas in its simplest form for the Sheikh Ibrahim bin Said Al Abri School for Basic Education from Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, plant-based hydrogen production for Umm Ayman School for Basic Education from Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, spinel and hydrogen production for Said bin Al Musayyib Basic Education School from Al Batinah North Governorate, and ongoing hydrogen innovation for Al Waqba School for Basic Education from ADhahirah Governorate.

The program began with a speech by the Ministry of Education delivered by Yacoub Al Balushi, Head of the Scientific Innovation Department, and then a speech by the Petroleum Development Oman Company. Umaima Al Mahdhuri presented a paper entitled: “Design Thinking,” in which she touched on the importance of design thinking in solving problems, the stages of design thinking, and the most important things to know about design thinking for a successful application. Abeer Al-Shuaili presented a paper entitled: “Sources of Hydrogen Production and Storage”, in which she talked about hydrogen properties, uses, and how to produce it from liquids and gas, in addition to its production from biomass, and how to transport and store it.

On the second day, Dr. Muhammad Al-Maamari presented two papers, the first entitled: Research and Analysis, in which he addressed students learning how to research, collect the necessary information to prepare a comprehensive and

accurate report, and guide students in using various research tools such as questionnaires, interviews, and reviewing research related to the field of hydrogen, and training them to analyze and interpret data and results drawn from research and apply them in their reports. The second paper was entitled: Introduction to Hydrogen as a Sustainable Fuel, which included that topics of physical and chemical hydrogen storage systems, challenges of hydrogen distribution, and hydrogen distribution networks, and the standards and legislation applied to hydrogen storage and distribution systems.

It is worth noting that this program aims to develop and improve student innovations in the field of hydrogen energy, stimulate the effective participation of students in research and development in the field of hydrogen, apply their skills and creativity in developing new and innovative projects, support promising student innovations in the field of hydrogen. The program also aims to provide guidance and the necessary assistance to implement these projects successfully, and to enhance the role of young energies in developing the industrial sector in the Sultanate of Oman.