Sparsh, a 17-year-old student from Patna, Bihar (India), received the prestigious Children’s Climate Prize in 2022 for his innovation, the "Thermal Floater," which converts thermal energy from the sun into electrical energy.Inspiration Rooted in Power OutagesGrowing up in a rural part of India, Sparsh regularly experienced power cuts lasting 2–3 hours daily. During periods of coal shortage, outages could stretch up to 6–8 hours a day. A turning point came when a member of his family fainted during a blackout due to extreme heat and lack of cooling. This incident motivated him to search for a practical solution.Challenges with Existing SolutionsAs Sparsh began exploring alternatives, he found that most available solutions were either inefficient, expensive, inaccessible, or required large amounts of space, making them unsuitable for many rural areas.— ProjectBihar (@ProjectBihar) The “Thermal Floater” InnovationHis invention, the "Thermal Floater," is designed to efficiently convert thermal energy from the sun into electrical energy. High Efficiency and ScalabilityWhen arranged in an array, these modules can generate up to 10 kWh of electricity per day, making the system about three times more efficient than a typical solar panel of similar size.Environmental BenefitsBeyond power generation, the modules offer additional environmental advantages. They help reduce water evaporation, thereby improving water availability for other uses, and also play a role in limiting algal bloom in freshwater bodies.
A family emergency inspired this Bihar teen to generate power from Sun and water. He later won a global climate award
Patna student Sparsh won the Children's Climate Prize for his "Thermal Floater," a device converting solar thermal energy into electricity. Inspired by power outages and a family emergency, his innovation offers a highly efficient and scalable solution, also reducing water evaporation and algal blooms.
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