There is an energy trilemma of the future. We need to provide electricity that is:

  • Affordable
  • Reliable
  • Sustainable

Ask students to debate this, imagining society in 2050. Engage students by asking them to consider questions such as:

  • What might be the consequences of ignoring one of the above?
  • Which is most dispensable?
  • Is it possible to achieve all three?

Melissa Lord, who teaches Physics at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, was inspired to suggest this teaching idea after hearing Richard Earp (Project Manager, National Grid) speak about Electricity and Energy at the New Teacher Subject Days course on Electricity. 

Schools Programme members and course attendees can download the resources from the event in the PTI Staffroom.

Want to discover more inspiring subject knowledge? See our upcoming courses and events for 2017, including our CPD subject days: Medical Physics and Thermodynamics and electrochemistry.

Find more knowledge nuggets here.

Image: By Nenad Kajić / Veneko.hr  [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.