"As were in the midst of such a huge project, this felt like a great opportunity for us to celebrate science with students who are local to our interconnector site."
NSL's Sallyanne Barson
To mark British Science Week (6-15 March), the North Sea Link project team took over Cambois Primary School in Northumberland to help pupils learn more about renewable energy.
The North Sea Link Interconnector project, a joint venture between National Grid and Statnett, organised a fun-filled event to help educate students aged 3 to 11 years about key science topics.
The day-long workshop, hosted by Bionic Becca from Mad Science, included activities such as a combustion demonstration, pedal generated energy and the use of mini electricity generators.
Pupils learnt more about the €2 billion subsea interconnector and how it will connect the UK with Norway, allowing the two countries to actively share green energy.
North Sea Link communications and stakeholder manager, Sallyanne Barson, said: “The event was a huge success and it was great to see pupils enjoying the Mad Science activities.
“It’s important that students learn about green energy and the importance of science as in the future they’ll play a crucial role in sustainability, especially as 21,000 new energy recruits are needed in the North East over the coming years.
“As we’re in the midst of such a huge project, this felt like a great opportunity for us to celebrate science with students who are local to our interconnector site.”
The team also hoped the event would spark interest in future energy sector careers as recent research by National Grid* revealed that the UK needs to fill 400,000 energy jobs if it is to meet its 2050 net zero emissions target.
The North Sea Link project team is overseeing the construction and delivery of the world’s largest subsea interconnector. It has worked in partnership with Cambois Primary School since the project began construction in 2015.
Head teacher Marianne Allan said: “We’re delighted that North Sea Link could help us celebrate British Science Week by organising such a great event. The activities were tailored to suit all ages so there was something for everyone.
“The pupils were very engaged and Bionic Becca delivered a fantastic range of activities which sparked interest and conversations about renewable energy throughout the school.
The North Sea Link Interconnector is a joint venture between National Grid and Norwegian system operator, Statnett. Once operational in 2021, the 1.4-gigawatt electricity interconnector will allow the UK to import enough clean energy to power up to 2.4 million homes.
For more information on the project visit www.northsealink.com.
