Fernanda Santos (18), a student at Cardiff Sixth Form College, is celebrating today after receiving her A level results (AAB) in Maths, Chemistry, and Physics. Her academic success crowns an extraordinary year in which she built an algae-powered fuel cell as part of her Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), designed to address energy challenges in Angola, her home country.
Fernanda joined Cardiff Sixth Form College in search of a more academic and competitive environment. She has since thrived, combining a love of science with a passion for creative, sustainable solutions.
Her EPQ project focused on designing and building an algae fuel cell using recycled materials—including aluminium cans and algae grown on her windowsill—to generate electricity. Through a series of experiments, she found that eight of her fuel cells could theoretically power a mobile phone.
“Even though my neighbourhood back in Luanda, has access to the electricity grid, electricity failures are a daily reality,” said Fernanda. “We rely on generators, which are expensive and polluting. I wanted to show once again that algae—a sustainable and affordable resource—could offer a viable alternative.”
Her project is especially poignant given Angola’s heavy reliance on oil and frequent power outages. Fernanda’s innovation is not just a scientific experiment—it’s a vision for a cleaner, more reliable future for her country.
Her wider interests in chemical engineering and renewable energy have been strengthened by hands-on experience. She undertook work experience with Sonangol, Angola’s largest oil company, exploring water testing for E.coli and using chromatography to test natural gas. She also shadowed a district attorney in Luanda’s criminal court and visited its forensic lab where she witnessed first-hand how IT stagnation and tribal disputes including natural poisoning are predominant in criminal investigations.
At Cardiff Sixth Form College, Fernanda has been active outside the classroom, competing in Oxford and Cambridge debate competitions, co-organising Africa Day, which raised £250 for The African Children’s Fund Charity supporting the supply of sanitary products and school meals in Uganda and Tanzania, and coordinating events for International Women’s Day, including booking speakers and managing outreach.
Having now received her A Level results, Fernanda is looking to study Chemical Engineering at Durham, Bath, York, Manchester or Sheffield and has shortlisted universities that offers strong links to renewable energy internships and future employment opportunities.
“I’ve really enjoyed the creative side of doing my EPQ and want to continue learning to make a real difference,” she said. “My goal is to help Angola move away from oil dependency and toward a sustainable future. I want to leave my country in a better place than I found it.”
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