STUDENTS at two East Lothian secondary schools have been learning about tackling the climate crisis through technology.
SSE Renewables, which is currently working to deliver the Berwick Bank Wind Farm off the county coast, worked with pupils at Ross High School in Tranent and Knox Academy in Haddington.
Together, they spent three days ahead of the summer break working on developing the students’ plans for their own offshore wind farms.
Youngsters were turned into renewable developers for the day and each group was tasked with developing their offshore wind farms.
Once each group had assigned itself roles such as project manager, communications manager, financial manager and technical advisor, the students were asked to use 3D software and virtual reality technology to bring their designs to life.
Alex Meredith, Berwick Bank project director, said: “It was clear how engaged the pupils felt with being tasked with a technical challenge to overcome, and the week reinforced just how high a priority the climate crisis is for generations to come.
“Here’s hoping in a few years we have inspired the young talent to help us all address this issue.”
Using the same models SSE Renewables use for Berwick Bank, pupils were tasked with modelling their proposals using real landscapes and infrastructure from East Lothian.
Throughout the day, the students were required to use a variety of financial, problem-solving, team-working, communication and presenting skills.
During the process, the groups overcame various technological and environmental challenges before delving into the details of the financial viability of their proposals.
Following the design process, the students presented their final proposals to the SSE Renewables team.
Berwick Bank, which will be created about 40 kilometres off the coast of the county, will be one of the largest offshore renewable energy developments in the world and will be a major contributor towards clean energy production in the UK, capable of delivering up to 4.1GW of electricity.
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