School pupils and community groups in the Stonehaven area are to benefit from new workshop sessions on wind power, which will challenge them to build their own mini version of the generator inside a wind turbine.
Aberdeen Science Centre has secured funding from Thistle Wind Partners (TWP) to deliver From Gust to Grid, a workshop which focuses on the generation of electricity by harnessing the power of the wind.
TWP is currently developing 2GW of floating and fixed-foundation offshore wind capacity at its Scotwind leasing sites – the Ayre Offshore Wind Farm off the coast of Orkney, and the Bowdun Offshore Wind Farm in Aberdeenshire. The company was founded in 2020 by three global renewable pioneers – DEME Group, Qair and Aspiravi.
The science centre will welcome around 300 Stonehaven school pupils through its doors and will also deliver 10 community sessions to underrepresented groups in the region.
Steph McCann, head of fundraising at Aberdeen Science Centre said: “During their visit, the pupils will experience our new workshop, From Gust to Grid. This interactive session will help them develop an understanding of the power of wind, from some of the first known uses of wind power such as sailing boats through to the latest innovations which include wind turbines which generate electricity.
“The generous support we have received from Thistle Wind Partners means we can cover the costs associated with around 300 pupils from Stonehaven schools visiting Aberdeen Science Centre, including admission and travel costs.”
Steph McCann, head of fundraising at Aberdeen Science Centre, alongside Kirsty MacAulay, stakeholder engagement manager at Thistle Wind Partners
From Gust to Grid will see the workshop participants become turbine engineers as they use a combination of equipment to build their own turbine generator.
Steph said: “Wind power is an essential part of the new energy mix and will form part of the energy transition as we move towards cleaner energy sources. The practical experience of building a wind turbine, albeit on a much smaller scale, will demonstrate how the turbines which will eventually be built here in the North-east by Thistle Wind Partners at the Bowdun offshore wind farm will work.”
Participants will also consider the environmental impact of wind power by looking at how the electricity is brought to shore and then distributed across the electricity network.
“It’s vital to look at the bigger picture so our turbine engineers will become environmental impact assessors and be asked to look at where the associated cables and onshore substation could be located,” added Steph.
“In addition to delivering the workshop to the school pupils, we will also be running 10 community sessions aimed at audiences which are traditionally underserved. This will enable us to reach people who might otherwise not be able to visit Aberdeen Science Centre.
“We hope they will find From Gust to Grid interesting and engaging as it relates to the very wind turbines which can be seen off our local coastline.”
Ian Taylor, project director at Thistle Wind Partners, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the Aberdeen Science Centre on the From Gust to Grid project. The work that ASC is doing, and the service it provides to Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and beyond is a fantastic resource for the community.
“Bowdun Offshore Wind Farm will be located off the coast of Aberdeenshire, and we want to be able to inspire the next generation to get involved in these local projects knowing they can learn the skills to work in the offshore wind industry.
“Skills development is crucial to the future of our industry, and these young people are the next generation of engineers, consenting leads and experts in offshore wind. We are encouraged by our initial community engagement and seeing the wide breadth of talent among the region’s school pupils.”
The school sessions are aimed at pupils in P5 through to P7. Schools with an AB39 postcode should contact education@asc.scot and community groups should contact community@asc.scot to register for the free sessions.
Open seven days a week, the VisitScotland 5-star rated visitor attraction also offers exclusive venue and room hire for corporate, social, and private events, alongside corporate sponsorship opportunities.
To book a visit to Aberdeen Science Centre or find out more about corporate support, visit https://aberdeensciencecentre.org/