Last week, Burnham and Weston Energy welcomed Year 4 pupils from Brent Knoll Primary School to its community-owned solar farm at Wick Farm, Lympsham, giving them the chance to learn about solar energy first-hand.
Guided by Harry Barlow and Ella Messetter, the site’s Asset Manager from Communities for Renewables, the children followed the journey of electricity step by step: from the sun’s rays to the site’s 36,000 solar panels, through the inverters and transformers, down into the substation and finally out through the grid all the way into their homes.
The community-owned array generates over 9 million kWh of renewable electricity each year so along the way, the students got stuck into some big ideas – power, current, voltage – and asked some brilliant questions. They talked about fossil fuels and discovered why solar power is not just clever science, but a clean, green way to help the planet. Harry Barlow explained:
“It was a great pleasure to welcome the children to Wick Farm this month. As well as learning about renewable energy and biodiversity, it’s important that young people see working examples of solutions to the environmental issues that will impact their generation. It’s also fantastic these children have had the opportunity to follow the energy journey and ponder what goes on behind the power sockets in their home – an important exercise that too few of the public are positioned to undertake.”
But the day wasn’t just about energy. The children discovered that the land beneath and around the panels supports a thriving ecosystem. In summer, reptiles and amphibians make the most of the site’s ponds but they need safe places to shelter in winter too.
One of the highlights of the visit was helping to build this year’s hibernacula: special shelters designed to protect the great crested newts that call the solar farm home. These rare and protected amphibians are a sign of the site’s rich biodiversity!
We also spotted a range of insects, plants and even birds like woodpeckers and herons. There was plenty of enthusiasm (and a surprising lack of squeamishness) when it came to getting up close with the site’s many creepy-crawlies!
As the students walked back to their buses at the end of each visit, there was a buzz of excitement and chatter about what they’d seen.
“It’s so important for children to learn outside the classroom. What matters most is that they leave these visits feeling more connected to nature and thinking about climate and energy. This visit was a real success and we can’t wait to welcome more students to the solar farm next year!” – Ella Messetter, Impact and Communications Manager at Communities for Renewables.
Not many communities can say they have their own solar farm… but Burnham-on-Sea, Weston-super-Mare and the rural inbetween does! Burnham and Weston Energy is dedicated to helping local schools on their journey to net-zero by providing both funding and educational opportunities.
If your school is based in this area or if you have pupils who live in those communities, we’d love to support you. Find out more about our funding opportunities here.