Students taking part in the BT Young Scientist and Technology exhibition (BTYSTE) 2023 have demonstrated an interest in making climate change and sustainability their main agenda.
The main focus of projects will include the development of sustainable practices in industry and agriculture, promoting biodiversity and developing environmentally friendly alternatives to household products.
Projects from qualifying schools will be showcased from January 12-14, 2023, at the exhibition.
Sustainable farming practices is a key topic for students participating in BTYSTE.
The acceleration of crop growth and the enhancement of soil biology through natural, sustainable materials and methods has become a priority as producers look to move away from using chemical-heavy fertilisers in the production prices.
Projects will also investigate cost-effective and sustainable methods of retaining nutrients in the soil.
BTYSTE and agriculture
The objective of making farming more environmentally friendly extends into the area of livestock rearing, with several projects targeting the reduction of methane emissions from cattle.
Students are also exploring new technologies to monitor and regulate the levels of methane gas in agricultural environments.
Understanding the benefits of more traditional techniques will be fundamentally important as the farming sector looks to decarbonise its processes.
Utilising technology to drive the efficiency and improve the safety of mechanical processes on farms is also something entrants are keen to explore.
Part of the challenge is developing and integrating technology without increasing the carbon footprint of a given process or facility.
Young people are also looking into sustainable horticulture and exploring methods of accelerating plant growth.
This is a trend which overlaps frequently with an interest in water quality, which is perhaps to be expected as the latter is an issue which continues to feature heavily in the news.
Key environmental / sustainability trends at BTYSE:
- Agriculture / agronomy;
- Reducing emissions;
- Sustainable technology;
- Renewable energy alternatives;
- Water quality;
- Horticulture;
- Biodiversity.