Pupils from Perth High School have stepped out of the classroom and into a working renewable energy facility as part of their National 5 Energy Skills for Work qualification.
The pupils visited Bio Capital’s Earnside Energy anaerobic digestion plant bear Perth, where they were able to see first-hand how food waste can be transformed into renewable energy and valuable resources that support the circular economy.
The visit forms part of the National 5 Energy Skills for Work course, which aims to develop employability and practical skills among pupils interested in the energy sector. As part of the qualification, pupils undertake a “Visit to an Installed Energy System”, where they visit a site producing electricity and report on different aspects of the plant and its environmental impacts.
The Earnside Energy team has been supporting Perth High School with this element of the course for the past three years, giving successive groups of pupils an opportunity to experience a real working energy facility.
During their latest visit, pupils learned more about anaerobic digestion and what happens to food waste after it is collected. The process uses microorganisms to break down organic material in an oxygen-free environment, producing biogas which can be used to generate renewable energy, alongside a nutrient rich biofertiliser which is used in agriculture.
Bio Capital provides food waste recycling for residents across the Perth and Kinross Council. This means the pupils not only gain an insight into renewable energy but can also see where food waste collected from their own homes is recycled and put to productive use.
Rich Boyd, Site Manager at Bio Capital’s Earnside facility said:
We are really pleased to continue supporting Perth High School and to welcome another group of pupils to Earnside.
There is a big difference between learning about renewable energy in the classroom and being able to visit a working site and see the process happening first-hand.
We hope visits like this help young people understand not only what happens to their food waste, but also the different skills and career opportunities associated with renewable energy and the circular economy.
Bio Capital has an established relationship with Perth High School that extends beyond the site visits. Previous support has included a visit to the school by Earnside’s Rich Boyd , who provided further insight into anaerobic digestion and renewable energy, as well as a donation of equipment, including signal generators and digital oscilloscopes, to support learning in the school’s physics department.
Liz Dand, Teacher of Physics at Perth High said:
Bio Capital’s Earnside Facility is an ideal site for our pupils because they can see a real working energy system and develop a much better understanding of what can happen to food waste.
The visit gives them practical experience to draw upon for their coursework and helps bring the subject to life.
