Solar energy outreach activities for schoolchildren: Hands-on experiments on photovoltaics, solar thermal and solar water disinfection

An integrated approach including three main applications of solar energy was followed to design a series of hands-on experiments for schoolchildren (6-10 years-old) with the objectives of promoting solar energy, increasing environmental issues awareness and attracting more students to the field of science. Solar energy outreach activities can be an ideal starting point to foster interest in science and technology from an early age, but adequate initiatives should be carefully design. In this article we present the different solar energy based activities that the University of Jaén (Jaén, Spain) and IMDEA Water Institute (Alcalá de Henares, Spain) have developed in the last years.