Visions of tomorrow: how young innovators are reimagining a greener world
Air-purifying walls, plastic-bottle greenhouses and repair hubs on every corner… school children are showing us what their sustainable tomorrow could look like
What would the world look like if we asked children to design it?
At this year’s Ted Wragg Trust Innovation Competition, the answers came in the form of bug hotels, plastic-bottle greenhouses, living breeze blocks that purify the air and footpaths that generate power from every step.
These weren’t just sketches on a page, they were thoughtful, detailed plans for what a sustainable, innovative future could become - where E.ON joined as both sponsor and judging panel member. The event brought together 80 students from schools across the Trust to pitch their ideas for a town of the future, or a practical climate action plan for their schools.
Over months of preparation, the students designed their visions for a greener future. The competition became a launchpad for ideas that spanned from the wildly imaginative to the impressively practical – but all had one thing in common: a clear determination to make tomorrow greener than today.
Some imagined whole communities powered by solar rooftops, wind turbines and footpaths that harvest energy from every step. Others looked closer to home, creating plans to cut carbon in schools with energy audits, recycling goals and inventive reuse projects. And some even thought about the way we live and consume, introducing repair hubs to extend the life of everyday items, or rewilded spaces where ponds, plants and pollinators thrive alongside people.
Even the humble plastic bottle was reinvented, becoming the building block for outdoor classrooms and sustainable greenhouses – a simple but striking example of how creativity can turn waste into opportunity.
As Jackie Brown, operations support manager at E.ON and one of this year’s judges, reflected:
“The teamwork, creativity, and passion were outstanding. The students showed us innovation isn’t just about technology, it’s about imagination, collaboration and courage. What really struck me was how practical so many of the ideas were, from the recycling targets to the greenhouse made out of water bottles. I’m inspired to try some of these ideas at home myself! For us at E.ON, it’s a powerful reminder that the next generation will be the ones to live with the choices we make today – and that we must listen to their vision for a greener future. Their creativity gives me real confidence that tomorrow’s world can be cleaner, fairer and more sustainable.”
Jamie Brookes, Director of Green Funding Solutions, said:
“It was fantastic to see such enthusiasm, creativity, and innovation from a truly talented group of students. Their ideas show just how bright the future can be. At E.ON, we’re committed to encouraging and nurturing talent at every stage of development, and supporting this event was an important way of investing in the next generation who will shape the future of our workforce and our industry.”
Beyond the main presentations, students also explored sustainability in unexpected ways – from building eco-towns with LEGO Serious Play to designing greener worlds in Minecraft Education.
For us, supporting this competition was about more than celebrating bright ideas. It was about listening to the generation who will inherit the climate challenge – and who, judging by their imagination and determination, already have some of the solutions.
And just as these students are daring to think differently, so are we. Across E.ON, our Group Innovation teams are exploring the very technologies that could one day make many of these ideas a reality. At our E.ON Drive EV Testing Lab in Essen, engineers are already working with the world’s leading carmakers to shape the future of cleaner transport – running 26 test stations and five climate chambers to put electric vehicles and charging solutions through their paces, from the coldest Scandinavian winter to a desert heatwave.
Innovation is also happening oceans away, in the heart of Silicon Valley, where E.ON’s Innovation Garage collaborates with climate-tech start-ups to fast-track breakthrough ideas. From smarter batteries to AI-driven energy efficiency, we’re working alongside entrepreneurs to fine-tune, test and scale the technologies that will drive the energy transition forward.
The competition was organised by the Ted Wragg Trust, a family of 18 schools across Exeter, Plymouth, Crediton and East Devon with a shared belief that education can transform lives and communities. Named in honour of Professor Ted Wragg – who championed the power of learning to change futures – the Trust brings together schools across Exeter, Plymouth, Crediton and East Devon. Their ethos of ambition, inclusion and opportunity shone through in every presentation, with students showing just how powerful young voices can be when it comes to shaping a greener world.