The Gunning Wind Farm team were excited to welcome Year 5 and 6 students from St Mary’s Primary, Crookwell, to the wind farm for a visit and a site tour.

The team shared that the Gunning Wind Farm was ACCIONA Energía’s third wind farm in Australia. They let the students know that the wind farm has been operational since May 2011 and there are 31 turbines with a generating capacity of 46.5MW, which is enough to power around 36,000 homes annually.

The visit and site tour was hosted by the Gunning Wind Farm Team who work at the site and oversee the operation and maintenance of the wind farm.

Whilst on site, the students took part in a session on A Day in the Life of a Turbine Technician, where the onsite team shared what they do, what equipment they use, and what qualifications and experience they have to work at a wind farm. The students had the opportunity to ask questions of the Turbine Technicians and also try on and have a close look at the equipment they use.

As well as meeting the Turbine Technicians, the students also had the chance to visit the onsite substation, view a wind turbine blade up close, and take a bus tour around the wind farm.

The day finished up with a Build your own Wind Turbine activity facilitated by Anna Kemp, STEM Project Officer from the Crookwell Academy of STEM Excellence.

During the visit, the students had the opportunity to ask questions of the ACCIONA Energía team, and some great information was shared. One particular piece of information shared was the difference between the tip height at the Gunning Wind Farm (110 metres) and the tip height of the recently constructed MacIntyre Wind Farm in Queensland (230 metres). That’s an increase in height of 140 metres in just 13 years.

The students, their teachers, and the ACCIONA Energía team had a great day together and enjoyed learning and sharing information about the Gunning Wind Farm and the renewable energy transition in Australia.