A visitor centre for the Rampion offshore wind farm has opened in the Sussex coastal town of Brighton in southern England.
The centre hosts dozens of displays and interactive exhibits to offer the Sussex community and Brighton’s 11 million annual visitors a free museum, bringing to life the story of human settlement, technological advancement and population growth, alongside climate change, renewable energy and the construction of Rampion.
The visitor centre is now open for pre-booked visits of groups from one household at a time, with facilities in place to ensure strict compliance with all requirements in relation to the coronavirus.
Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, was the first visitor to the centre, located in six refurbished arches neighbouring Brighton’s West Pier Pillars and facing the Rampion offshore wind farm, 13 km off the Sussex coast.
Lucas said: “I have backed the Rampion wind farm since its very early days, not only because of its importance in terms of reducing carbon emissions, but as a source for education and inspiration too.
“So, I’m delighted that this visitor centre is now open for people to come to visit and be inspired.
“Since plans for the wind farm were first being discussed in 2012, we’ve seen the climate crisis accelerating in terrifying ways – time is rapidly running out for us to take the action needed to drive down emissions and free ourselves from the choking hold of fossil fuels.
“This visitor centre has an important role to play in showing what we can do. I’m very pleased to be one of the first visitors.”
A huge interactive globe is the centre piece of the centre, showing the impact people have had on the planet, visualising population growth and the recent impact of the greenhouse effect as well as what the future could hold.
Other features include an exciting virtual reality experience taking you out to the wind farm, climbing up and standing on top of a turbine. Interactive games and video kiosks allow visitors to explore the development, construction and operation of Rampion and visitors can also enjoy interactive exhibits showing how energy is made and how wind energy works.
The centre is free to enter and forms part of the £4m Rampion Community Fund, voluntarily created for the Sussex community.
Brighton seafront was chosen as the ideal location due to its clear view of the wind farm, high footfall and excellent public transport connections.
The Rampion Community Fund, following the wind farm construction, has benefited projects from Littlehampton in the west to Beachy Head in the east, including installing telescopes along the coast.