Two teams from a Monmouth-led project scooped national awards in Arcola Energy’s Hydrogen Hack.
The youngsters used software and hardware to transform everyday items as part of the Schools Hydrogen Challenge.
Teacher Lyndsay Hope, from Monmouth School for Boys, ran the event with support from mentors from industry, including Abergavenny’s Stuart Ball.
Thirteen-year-old Elic Wales, from Ross-on-Wye, joined forces with 12-year-old Tom Thornton, from Berry Hill, to design an atmospheric air pollution sensor for a car.
Their creation won the Best use of Hydrogen section in the national awards.
The event was open to all and young engineers travelled all the way from Pembrokeshire with Thomas Beaver and Iolo Bagnall teaming up with Trowbridge’s Casey Perren.
The trio designed a ketchup-supplying robot and their Tomato Juice project won praise from the judges in London as they topped the fun prize category.
The Hydrogen Hack took place at 10 regional centres across the UK.
Sixteen-year-old Joe Bailey and eight-year-old Eric Darnborough, who lives in Abergavenny, were among 13 young inventors and programmers, aged from eight to 18 years old, who took part in the initiative hosted by Monmouth School for Boys.
The scheme highlighted the benefits of fuel cell and hydrogen technology and youngsters, in their small groups, used RPi, Arduino and a Fuel Cell to make their chosen items do something new.
The youngsters were taken for a spin in a Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car on the opening day of the week-long hack.
Llandrindod Wells-based Riversimple, a manufacturer of hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles, provided two mentors and also brought along a car which is being developed.
Mrs Hope believes the initiative offered a creative, innovative and fun way for the youngsters to learn more about clean energy.
Mrs Hope added: “I was hugely impressed with the projects at the Monmouth centre because the youngsters worked with advanced hardware and software.
“Their attention to detail was first-class and the aspiring engineers quickly got to grips with the new software and hardware, and worked together with maturity on their projects.”
Mrs Hope is now preparing for a Computer Science Fair which is being held at Monmouth School for Boys on Sunday, 19th November from 1pm to 5pm.
For more information about the event, which is open to all, visit: tinyurl.com/wyehack