A Level Geography students from Spalding School recently visited the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant.

It was an opportunity for the students to see how the plant generates renewable electricity, using straw as the main fuel.

The A Level Geography specification includes a topic called Earth’s Life Support Systems, which focuses on developing a broad knowledge and understanding of the Hydrological and Carbon cycles. As part of this, students learn about the impact of the use of fossil fuels on the atmosphere and climate, as well as considering ways to mitigate these issues. Renewable energy is studied and what better way to aid understanding and help students to remember the content, than to visit a working biomass energy plant.

Sullivan Smith, one of the Spalding students who visited the plant, said: "We were welcomed in and given a tour of the plant, where we saw how straw and hay is used on a mass scale as a fuel to produce electricity and hot water. The electricity produced would be enough to power the whole of Sleaford; however, it is fed into the National Grid for all users. The hot water produced goes to heat Sleaford swimming pool as well as providing space heating to local council buildings."

“It was a very useful and interesting trip” said fellow student Bryn Richards. “It helped us to see that there are plenty more ways to produce electricity than burning fossil fuels and I would recommend it to any other student who is given the opportunity to go in the future.”