'You know we wanted to make something new and exciting that everybody will want'—East Wiltshire School student Emily Ford

There's a warm new twist to a solar energy project built by P.E.I. junior high school students.

It’s a heating panel that takes the idea of a pop can solar heater a step further. It uses a dryer hose instead of pop cans. For about $400 in raw materials the students created a panel that they say will heat about 1,000 square feet.

"This unit is called the Eco-Warming System, or EWS, which also stands for East Wiltshire School," said teacher Gene Dowling.

"We haven't found anything else online in searches that's exactly like this," he said.

The unit uses solar power to provide a supplementary heat source for your home.

It's based on a popular model that uses old aluminum cans. The students built one of those last year.

"The pop can heater's really, really old. You know we wanted to make something new and exciting that everybody will want," said student Emily Ford.

The students ran a test of the heater for CBC News on Wednesday. They set it outside for a few minutes, then blew cold air from a hairdryer through it. The air came out at 54 degrees Celsius.

The children are in an industrial arts pilot project at the school called KNX, or Kids Needing Extra.

It's designed for students having trouble in a conventional classroom setting.

"I enjoy most hands-on work. When I'm older I want to be a carpenter. I really enjoy working with my hands, building heaters," said Ford.

"They have a lot of pride, you can tell it in their face, ear-to-ear with a big smile, they're just really proud of what they did," said Dowling.

The students will probably complete another project next year.

Dowling said the EWS the children made will be installed at a local apartment building.