KITCHENER, ON – July 7, 2025 — Forward Education is proud to announce the launch of the Smart Solar Energy Kit. This first-of-it's-kind functioning solar kit enables students to actively measure and track real-time energy data with a micro:bit. Plus, use energy data as an input for their coding and robotics projects.
Our goal with this new Smart Solar Energy Kit is to provide educators with an engaging and hands-on way to enhance their renewable energy curriculum through coding, data logging, and science-backed experimentation.
At the heart of the kit is our new built-in Energy Meter that allows students to view live voltage and current readings from the solar panel and track how those values change with different lighting conditions and direction. With this data interpreted by the micro:bit, students can write programs that respond to solar output in real time. This transforms clean energy into interactive projects and meaningful experiments, opening up new opportunities to connect renewable energy with real-world science, math, and environmental studies.
A Hands-On Approach to Clean Energy Learning 🌞
The Smart Solar Energy Kit gives students in grades 5–12 the tools to explore renewable energy in an authentic and measurable way. Whether comparing the efficiency of different light sources, calculating solar output in various weather conditions, or tracking battery charge over time, students are invited to investigate real energy systems and then build solutions using code.
⚡ Stand-Out Features:
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Real-Time Energy Monitoring: Track both voltage and current from the solar panel using the Energy Meter, all viewable and logged via micro:bit.
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Real Power Generation: Add a low-voltage USB device as a 'load' and be charged by the panel.
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Plug-and-Play Compatibility: No soldering or complex setup. Simple connectors make this kit perfect for classroom use.
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Curriculum-Aligned Applications: Ideal for science, math, environmental studies, and coding, with cross-curricular project potential.
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Cross-Compatible Hardware: The Smart Solder Energy Kit is compatible with the rest of the plug-and-play Forward Education coding & robotics ecosystem.
- Projects & Tutorials Included: Access a variety of projects and tutorials to get started using the Smart Solar Energy kit right away.
📚 Designed to Support Deeper Learning
By making invisible energy data visible, the Smart Solar Energy Kit helps students ask better questions, gather meaningful data, and apply it to real-world problem solving. The result is an immersive STEAM experience rooted in sustainability, systems thinking, and climate literacy.
This new addition complements Forward Education’s growing line of micro:bit Coding & Robotics Kits, all created to equip students with the tools and confidence to create solutions for the future.
🛒 Available Now
The Smart Solar Energy Kit is available for purchase today on the Forward Education website. Educators can contact our team for bulk ordering, classroom packs, and curriculum support.
About Forward Education
Forward Education creates hands-on STEM and coding kits that empower students to design, build, and code real-world solutions to environmental challenges. Our products are rooted in purpose-driven learning—equipping today’s students with the tools to shape a better tomorrow.
