Scottish Renewable Energy Company GreenPower was pleased to welcome 40 German students and their tutors from the University of Stuttgart to two of our renewable energy projects. The students who are studying Environmental Engineering visited GreenPower’s 3 turbine 6MW Drumduff wind farm at Blackridge, West Lothian and our 500kW Carie hydro-electric project close to Loch Rannoch in Perthshire.
GreenPower received the University’s request to visit some of our projects at the beginning of the year. Once we had agreed to host their visit the University posted a notice to gauge the interest of the students and to their amazement the trip was fully booked the same afternoon.
The group included students at various stages of their degree and PHD courses. Once on site the students were given an overview of how each site had been developed and then spent time exploring all aspects of the construction and operation of the projects with members of the GreenPower team on hand to answer their questions.
At Drumduff Wind Farm Stefan Haun, Ph.D. said “It was very interesting to hear how quiet the wind turbines are”. Following his visit to both sites Jan Görtz, Scientific Staff – Organiser of the study trip said “I was really impressed how fast all of the projects of Green Power have been realised!”
Emmet McLaughlin GreenPower’s Project Manager for both of the projects said “It was very rewarding to have such an enthusiastic group of young engineers showing obvious interest in the construction and operational aspect of these clean renewable energy projects”.
The students also showed considerable interest in how GreenPower had managed the environmental issues associated with the two projects. At Drumduff Wind Farm which is owned jointly between GreenPower and Thrive Renewables, the site had previously been an open cast coal mine but is now generating power from a much cleaner sustainable resource.
At Carie the students were intrigued to hear that prior to building the hydro project the land had to be surveyed for unexploded bombs as the area had been used for army training during the Second World War.
The land is owned by the Forestry Commission and we were delighted that Dave Pool the Forest District Liaison Officer was also able to be there to meet and talk to the students.
Of the trip Prof. Dr.-Ing. Silke Wieprecht, Head of the Dept. of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management of the University of Stuttgart said “We really appreciate the warm welcome that Green Power gave us to Scotland! We had two great days with the staff of GreenPower which provided us with lots of information!”
In addition to Emmet McLaughlin the Project Manager for Carie and Drumduff, GreenPower would like to thank Jennie Cowley our Project Support Officer for organising all the logistics for the day and for being on hand to assist with the visit.
Article written by Phil Parkin, Director who was in attendance and welcomed the students to both sites on behalf of the Company.
