Renantis and BlueFloat Energy have held their first Italian workshop of OffshoreWind4Kids (OW4K) in Sardinia.
The initiative is aimed at children to learn about marine wind energy and understand its importance for a sustainable future.
Italy with its more than 8,000 kilometres of coastline is the perfect candidate to meet the growing demand for renewable energy through marine wind technology, the pair said.
In 2021 Renantis (formerly Falck Renewables) and BlueFloat Energy formed a JV for the development of floating marine wind farms off the Italian coast.
Calabria, Puglia and Sardinia, the regions in which the partnership is developing projects, have been confirmed as potential locations for this technology.
The OffshoreWind4Kids workshop is the brainchild of the Belgian non-profit organisation of the same name, already present in various parts of the world and in Europe.
Its aim is to raise awareness of the potential of engineering, new technologies and renewable energies, with a particular focus on the innovation represented by marine wind energy, through activities that stimulate the curiosity of children.
Attention to future generations and the creation of meaningful paths with local communities are central values for the partnership, which is also attentive to adopting advanced practices to minimise the environmental impact of activities on the territory.
The idea of hosting the first Italian edition of OffshoreWind4Kids is based on these values.
Ksenia Balanda, director of offshore wind Italy of the Renantis BlueFloat Energy partnership, said: “The desire to bring the OffshoreWind4Kids project to Italy stems from the desire of Renantis and BlueFloat Energy to stimulate the youngest children to learn about the floating marine wind technology that will be the protagonist of our energy future.
“The participatory and enthusiastic response from children is an important result for us, a tangible sign of how young people are curious and predisposed to understand new things.
“The intention is to take this initiative to all the regions where we are developing our projects.”
Sixty pupils from the Istituto Comprensivo ‘Maria Lai’ of Quartu Sant’Elena, a municipality in the metropolitan city of Cagliari, Sardinia, took part in the activities organised on the Poetto beach.
The children were thus able to closely observe the operation of a marine wind turbine with integrated measuring instruments, building a real and working prototype with their own hands.
It was explained with simplicity how clean energy is produced thanks to the power of the wind and cutting-edge technology, all through engaging and entertaining simulations.
Under the watchful eyes of the children, the three project proposals in Sardinia (Nora Energia 1, Nora Energia 2 and Tibula Energia), located on the island’s southern and north-eastern coast, were also presented.
Nora Energia 1 is a floating marine wind project planned off the Sardinia Channel, south-west of the Gulf of Cagliari, and envisages a total installed capacity of 795MW.
Nora Energia 2, on the other hand, envisages a total installed capacity of 600MW.
Tibula Energia is a 975MW floating marine wind project off the north-east coast of Sardinia, in the stretch of sea roughly between the municipality of Olbia and the municipality of Siniscola.
In addition to Sardinia, Renantis and BlueFloat Energy are developing a floating marine wind project in Calabria and two projects in Puglia.