MORE than 100 students and staff members from a Conwy school were welcomed to North Wales’ largest onshore wind farm for a taste of life on the turbines and a look at the project’s bio-enhancement work.
Year Seven pupils at Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy in Llanrwst visited RWE’s 27-turbine Clocaenog Forest Wind Farm, with staff from RWE as well as turbine supplier Vestas sharing insights about how renewable energy technology is developed and deployed in Wales.
Pupils were also able to quiz experts working on the site’s bio-enhancement schemes, which includes managed restoration of upland heathland, actions to safeguard protected species such as hazel dormouse, and restoration of depleted peat bogs.
Carl Thatcher, Physics teacher at Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy, believes seeing the variety of careers that renewable energy is creating can be inspirational.
Mr Thatcher said: “This is the third year we’ve been able to show pupils round this impressive site, and every year they come back enthused having seen the real-life application of their work across so many subject areas like Maths, Physics, Biology and Geography.
“It’s also fantastic to be able for the pupils to get a real-life perspective on the work being carried out to combat climate change.”
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As well as generating power equivalent to the needs of 63,800 homes each year, Clocaenog Forest Wind Farm has also enabled the restoration of 86 hectares of heathland, and 7.7 hectares of peat, some of which is now 4.5m deep.
Josh Morris, communications and stakeholder manager for RWE, said: “ Every year, my colleagues and I find the enthusiasm shown by the pupils to be really infections. You never know quite what they’re going to ask you.
“I hope being able to show them the huge variety of work that goes on here will inspire them to consider a career in renewable energy in future.
“With onshore projects at Gaerwen and Alwen Forestin developments, and Awel y Môr Offshore Wind farm with development consent, there is real opportunity right on our doorstep here in North Wales.”
Rebecca Sage, onshore commercial manager for UK and Ireland at Vestas, said: “It was a fantastic opportunity for the school pupils to see a wind turbine up-close with their own eyes, seeing them take an interest was great and my colleagues and we were glad to be able to answer their questions on how these amazing structures are built, as well as their operation and maintenance.
“Who knows - we may see them in the future working as engineers or technicians right here at Clocaenog or on many of the other sites across the UK and beyond.”
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