Afan pupils go green in the classroom
Vattenfall powers energy lessons

Energy company, Vattenfall, has donated renewable energy kits to the Afan Federated schools in the Afan Valley, to help pupils further their understanding of green energy.

Pupils from Croeserw Primary School, Cymer Afan Primary School, Glyncorrwg Primary School and Pen Afan Primary School received a mini renewable energy kit from the company, which is developing the neighbouring Pen y Cymoedd wind farm project.  The aim is to help pupils understand how technology can be used to harness renewable energy sources.

The £200 kit includes a wind turbine, solar water heater and a photovoltaic panel, for pupils to see how wind energy and heat from the sun can be used to produce power. They are being used as part of their design and technology studies.

Andy Walters, Design and Technology teacher at the Federated Schools, said:

“We’re very grateful to Vattenfall for supplying this kit to us. They have helped us to bring our lessons about renewable technologies to life and demonstrate the potential in sustainable energy sources to our pupils.

“The children used the equipment during their lesson to design a shed for an allotment. They learnt how the solar water heaters could be used to provide warm water, and how the wind turbine and photo voltaic cells can be applied to provide electricity for lighting and pumping water. The pupils have really enjoyed learning about renewable technologies in a fun and interactive way.”

Rahel Jones, Communications and Engagement Manager for the Pen y Cymoedd Wind Energy Project, said:

“This is one of many activities that we are undertaking in the Neath Port Talbot area, where we are engaging with local schools to make an interesting and topical contribution to the pupils’ studies.

”We are committed to the communities in which we operate and want to benefit local people and organisations as much as possible. We’ve really enjoyed working with the pupils and hope that we have the opportunity to work with them again soon.”

The Pen y Cymoedd wind energy project received consent from the UK Government in May 2012 and will be the largest onshore wind farm in England and Wales. Construction of the 76-turbine scheme will commence in 2014 and the wind farm is expected to be operational during 2016. The project straddles the county boroughs of Rhondda Cynon Taf and Neath Port Talbot.

Once the wind farm starts generating electricity in 2016-2017, the project will introduce a local community fund which is currently worth £1.8m per annum and will be in place for the 25 year life of the project. The project team will be working with local people over the next three years to develop the fund in a way that meets the communities’ priorities and needs for the future.

Local people and interested parties are encouraged to ‘join the conversation’, regarding the community fund, through Conversation Wales website conversationwales.vattenfall.co.uk and the Pen y Cymoedd twitter account @PenyCymoedd.