Aberdeen Science Centre is to expand the delivery of workshops for school pupils focused on the power of wind energy, thanks to a continuation of its partnership with Thistle Wind Partners (TWP), developers of the Bowdun Offshore Wind Farm.
Funding from TWP will allow 150 P5-S2 school pupils from Laurencekirk, Montrose and surrounding coastal communities to benefit from the centre's ‘From Gust to Grid’ workshop sessions in the 2026/27 academic year.
The sessions challenge them to become turbine engineers as they build their own mini wind turbine generator.
Aberdeen Science Centre and TWP first partnered in 2024 to deliver the workshop to school pupils and community groups in Aberdeen and around the Stonehaven area, engaging with close to 1,000 children across 2024 and 2025.
Following the positive reception to the From Gust to Grid workshop, the initiative is now being expanded to allow more pupils to explore how electricity is generated using wind turbines, and to support with travel costs to and from the centre.
The workshop, which is designed to highlight the different careers involved in the planning and operation of wind farms, also looks at how the electricity generated by wind reaches homes and schools and what factors planners need to consider when choosing where to build a windfarm.
The Bowdun Offshore Wind Farm is a ScotWind project off the Aberdeenshire coast with potential to power the equivalent of 1.2 million homes and ambition to invest more than £1bn in the Scottish supply chain.
Alongside the workshop expansion, funding from TWP allowed Aberdeen Science Centre to host a free-to-attend STEM Day in Stonehaven in August.
Close to 200 people attended the event, which saw the team members from Aberdeen Science Centre entertain families with mini robots, marble runs, a renewable energy station, microscopes, circuits and electronics kits, and a building zone for younger children.
Representatives from TWP attended to run an interactive wind turbine activity and to share information about the Bowdun Offshore Wind Farm, alongside team members from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
Steph McCann, head of fundraising at Aberdeen Science Centre, said: “We are honoured to continue our collaboration with Thistle Wind Partners to spread awareness about harnessing wind power and inspire the wind turbine engineers of the future. Thanks to the new funding, we can expand our From Gust to Grid workshop and welcome school pupils from Montrose and Laurencekirk to the centre to explore how we turn wind into the energy that powers our homes.
“We are also grateful for the support of TWP for our recent Stonehaven STEM Day, which was a great success and allowed us to put smiles on the faces of so many children and parents. The support of our corporate sponsors is what allows us to continue delivering fun and engaging science experiences for people of all ages.”
Ian Taylor, Bowdun Project Director, said: “We are pleased to continue our partnership with Aberdeen Science Centre and support the expansion of the From Gust to Grid workshops. Bowdun Offshore Wind Farm is being developed off the Aberdeenshire coast, so it is important to us that young people in nearby communities have the opportunity to learn more about offshore wind, how projects like Bowdun work and the range of careers they can offer.
“The offshore wind industry will require a broad range of skills and expertise in the years ahead, and initiatives like this can help spark an interest in STEM from an early age. We hope these workshops will encourage pupils to see that there could be a future for them in the industry.
“We have seen a great response to the programme so far, and we are delighted to help Aberdeen Science Centre reach even more pupils in Laurencekirk, Montrose and surrounding communities.”
Through invaluable sponsorships, Aberdeen Science Centre will continue delivering engaging activities for the North-east of Scotland and help to safeguard the legacy of Scotland’s oldest science centre.
In addition to corporate sponsorship opportunities, the science visitor attraction, which is open seven days a week, also offers exclusive venue and room hire for corporate, social and private events.
To book a visit to Aberdeen Science Centre or find out more about corporate support, visit https://aberdeensciencecentre.org/