GoodWe EcoSmart Kids Awards 2025 Return to Celebrate Young Environmental Innovators

GoodWe recently celebrated the creativity and environmental passion of primary school students through the EcoSmart Kids Awards 2025. Held at the groundbreaking Forever Reef Project in Port Douglas, the event recognized young minds for their outstanding ideas on protecting natural ecosystems and embracing renewable energy.

This initiative forms part of the broader GoodWe EcoSmart Kids Program, an education-driven effort launched in Australia and aligned with GoodWe’s global commitment to sustainability, innovation, and community impact.

Honoring Young Eco Innovators

Students from Years 1 to 5 across local schools were honored, with finalists receiving prize bags full of gifts, including a voucher for a boat trip on the Great Barrier Reef. Top winners in each grade category, Years 1–2 and Years 3–5, also received the EcoSmart Kids Champion trophy and iPad sets to support futher learning.

The awards were presented by Dr Dean Miller, Director of the Great Barrier Reef Legacy, Roshan Ramnarain, CEO of Energy Matters, and John Wright, Marketing Manager at GoodWe Australia, during an afternoon that blended fun with purpose in one of Australia’s most environmentally significant locations.

2025 Champion Awards and prize packs. Image: Byron Filmer - Newsport

The EcoSmart Kids Program: Inspiring Environmental Action in Classrooms

GoodWe EcoSmart Kids Program the program brings energy education directly into schools through fun, curriculum-aligned modules tailored for students from Years 1 to 6. Developed in collaboration with educators and environmental experts, the program covers solar power, battery storage, the science of energy, and practical sustainability steps students can take at home and at school. Students are challenged to apply their knowledge in creative ways. 

This year’s competition theme encouraged kids to design a solution or idea that would help protect Australia’s natural resources, be it the reef, the rainforest, or their own backyard. Final submissions included models, drawings, videos, and prototypes that reflected both creativity and a clear grasp of real-world challenges.

Dr Dean Miller (left) presenting at the EcoSmart Kids Awards. Image: Byron Filmer - Newsport

The Forever Reef Project: an educational treasure chest

The award ceremony took place at the Forever Reef Project, the world’s first living coral biobank. The facility is operated by GBR Legacy, a non-profit organization made up of marine scientists, educators, and explorers dedicated to protecting the Great Barrier Reef through research, conservation, and storytelling.

By storing and preserving living coral specimens from across the Reef, the Forever Reef Project acts as a biodiversity vault. It ensures coral strains are protected for future restoration, research, and education.

The Forever Reef Project. Image: Byron Filmer - Newsport

“GBR Legacy and the Forever Reef Project was once again proud to be part of the GoodWe Eco-Smart Kids National program that not only teaches primary school kids of all ages about renewable energy, but rewards students for their creative, innovative, and inspirational ideas on what they can do to help protect our natural resources," said Dr Miller.

"The finals awards event that was hosted at the Forever Reef Project facility at Port Douglas marina was such an incredible way to celebrate our region's most innovative kids and show the rest of Australia we are on the front foot in looking after our reef and rainforest. We simply can't thank GoodWe and John Wright, the Eco-Kids Program Leader, for selecting the Douglas Shire for this year’s competition. The education, awareness, and of course prizes were simply world class!"

GoodWe’s values: powering the future, sustainably

GoodWe, a global solar technology manufacturer and clean energy solutions provider, is driven by its commitment to sustainability, innovation, and education. While the company is best known for its solar inverters, battery storage systems, and smart energy management, it also places a strong focus on giving back to the communities it serves.

While EcoSmart Kids program originated in Australia, it reflects GoodWe’s global vision of empowering future generations through sustainability-focused learning. GoodWe’s broader commitment goes beyond technology; it includes nurturing the next wave of clean energy leaders through community programs that inspire real-world action.

(L-R) Shania Bolen - Forever Reef Facility Manager, Roshan Ramanrain - Energy Matters, Lily Drew – Port Douglas State School, Coco Ramnarain - Energy Matters, and John Wright - GoodWe. Image: Byron Filmer - Newsport

John Wright from GoodWe added: “Once again, we couldn’t be prouder of the incredible talent and dedication shown by all the participants in this year’s EcoSmart Kids program. The creativity and awareness these children displayed are a testament to the importance of environmental education. Our collaboration and ongoing relationship with Great Barrier Reef Legacy is extremely important to us and something we are very proud of. It also allows us to bring a new dimension to the program and provide a real-world example that brings together all the elements delivered in our educational workshops.”