A group of hard-working young people applied to take part in the Youth Innovation Award 2022, eager to share their ideas and make an impact through social innovation. To encourage young people to drive positive change in their communities, #YIA2022 highlighted the contributions and active participation of future innovative youth leaders, emphasizing their crucial role in improving the quality of life for all of us in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The young innovator saw this competition as a chance to secure the funds necessary to bring his idea to life and finally put his concept into practice. Despite knowing that the material he needed was very expensive, he persisted with his idea because he believed it was practical, applicable, and useful for his community. Aldin also wanted to meet other young, brave individuals who decided to share their ideas and be part of this journey.
He first thought of this idea two years ago while writing a research project for a competition he took part in before #YIA2022. From that original idea, he developed the concept he presented at #YIA2022, which earned him second place, along with mentorship and financial support. The Solar Greenhouse is a greenhouse heated by a solar panel connected to an inverter and uses a battery to provide heat even during the winter. A heat meter registers heat and a thermostat registers the temperature. One of the advantages of this system is that it can also be used for cooling. During the night, it is heated by a battery, which is charged via an inverter during the day, and the heater can be connected directly to the solar panel. This makes the prototype capable of both charging and heating. You can see this innovation in action HERE.
Aldin wants to manufacture his eco-greenhouses with repurposed materials and allow people in Zenica to grow vegetables on their balconies.
Aldin first tested his idea on a smaller greenhouse. He applied to #YIA2022 with this prototype. He proudly notes that his idea has had a big impact on his daily life and that of his family, as he and his parents have started growing vegetables during the winter. He built four more greenhouses, and they are all thriving.
Positive reactions keep coming from his community, and the video filmed for #YIA2022 earned him a lot of praise in his hometown. He has had the support of his friends from the very beginning, along with his fellow students at university. Aldin also mentions that one of his colleagues is using a PET machine to process plastic into filament, which Aldin uses in his project, for his high school graduation thesis.
“YIA2022 helped me a lot in making my idea a reality because I used the funds to make everything I’ve made so far, and to get a 3D printer, which is actually the backbone of everything because when you design a model, you need a printer to make it,” says Aldin, adding that he purchased a 3D printer that is able to print large pieces such as the poles and joiners he uses in his prototype greenhouse.
When asked what he would do differently if he could apply again, Aldin laughs and says: “I would win the first prize!” Although he is happy with his innovation and the process so far, Aldin said that next time, he would work harder on the presentation and do more research into ways to install heaters because his initial idea and the way he presented it changed by the time he had built his prototype.
Aldin now needs to purchase larger heaters and an additional battery so that one battery can work during the daytime and one during the nighttime, maintaining the optimum temperature inside the greenhouse. After finalizing the product, Aldin aims to cut costs by using recycled plastic as the greenhouse material. This will make it easier for more people in Zenica to grow vegetables without a large financial investment, which he believes is much needed in the area. Aldin’s future plans include building a Solar Greenhouse for himself and pursuing agriculture. Once he has fully converted the model into an eco-friendly greenhouse and developed a solution for covering it with eco-film, he plans to make it available for sale, ensuring it is affordable for everyone.
Aldin Alić from Zenica is another great example of a young person eager to grow, showcase his creativity and potential, and contribute to his community by providing solutions that are sorely needed. We wish Aldin the best of luck in their endeavor to contribute to society.
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