S4 pupils from five Aberdeen secondary schools are taking part in a new Wind Energy Challenge delivered by TechFest in partnership with GB Energy, ETZ Ltd., Robert Gordon University (RGU) and Developing the Young Workforce North East (DYWNE).
The project challenges pupils to design a wind farm capable of powering a typical Aberdeenshire village while considering the engineering, environmental and community impacts of renewable energy developments.
Bridge of Don Academy, St Machar Academy, Dyce Academy and Harlaw Academy have already completed their in-school challenge, with Lochside Academy set to take part before the end of August. Each school has five or six teams competing to produce the most sustainable and viable wind farm proposal, with the winning team from each school progressing to a grand final in September.
Throughout the challenge, pupils calculate the electricity demand of the village before selecting the number, size and location of wind turbines needed to meet that demand. They also explore whether excess electricity should be stored or sold back to the grid, debate the advantages and challenges of offshore and onshore developments and consider how wind farms can minimise environmental impacts while creating benefits for local communities.
At the end of the day, each team presents its proposal to a panel of assessors. The winning teams are required to demonstrate impressive mathematical reasoning, well-justified engineering decisions and thoughtful approaches to environmental stewardship and community engagement, alongside excellent teamwork and project management skills.
The five winning teams will come together in September to compete in the overall final by presenting their proposals to industry judges. The overall winners will then be invited to attend the opening of the GB Energy headquarters later that month.
Dr Martha Gavan, Managing Director of TechFest, said: "It has been inspiring to see the enthusiasm and creativity the pupils have brought to this challenge. They have tackled complex engineering and sustainability issues with confidence, applying mathematical skills and critical thinking to develop renewable energy solutions. The standard of work has been fantastic, and we are looking forward to seeing the winning teams compete in the final."
Organisations interested in supporting future TechFest programmes are encouraged to contact Dr Martha Gavan for further information.
https://techfest.org.uk/contact/our-people