13 July 2023
We all know the energy industry is changing. Whether through how we generate electricity (like our Battery of the Nation projects), or in maintaining secure transmission networks (like our friends at TasNetworks), there will continue to be more careers available to support the future of renewable energy in Tasmania (and Australia!). We acknowledge that it is especially important to provide more opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) for women, who are still under-represented in our sector.
Girls in Power begun in 2022, backed by the collaboration of energy players from across the State. Proudly supported by the Tasmanian Government, other partners include TasNetworks, Goldwind, ACEN Australia and Entura.
This year’s event hosted thirty students from grades 9 and 10, over three jam-packed days. Students went behind-the-scenes at active power stations and wind farms, completed hands-on STEM challenges, and got up-close-and-personal with some exciting technology that is changing the way we think about our energy future.
Read more about what the students experienced below!
A three-day journey awaits!
Waddamana Power Station was ‘The Hydro’s’ first power station in Tasmania. Roaring to life in 1914, electricity began commonplace across Tasmanian communities. It was decommissioned and made into a Heritage Site, so visitors could see the extraordinary engineering feat of Waddamana first-hand.
From the weight of different tools, to the first electric appliances in Tasmania, there was plenty to learn about where our journey begun.
Scavenger hunt at Waddamana Power Station Heritage Site
The roaring winds of Tasmania is something we’re all familiar with. Students visited Goldwind’s Cattle Hill Wind Farm, conveniently located just over the hill from Waddamana Heritage Site.
Students at Cattle Hill Wind Farm
Students also saw the IdentiFlight technology at the wind farm. This technology is constantly monitoring to detect any Wedge-tailed Eagles who may be flying nearby the turbines. If an eagle’s speed and flight path indicate a risk of collision, an alert is generated to shut down the wind turbines. Modern renewable technologies like wind generation are great for the planet, with next-to-no carbon emissions. But it’s important for the next generation to know what else is done to protect our local environments as part of the renewable energy equation.
Students with the IdentiFlight technology, Cattle Hill Wind Farm
Back over the hill is the Waddamana Substation, which is the connection point for Cattle Hill’s generation into the electricity grid. The substation is just one example of TasNetwork’s assets, located in every corner of Tasmania to deliver electricity to our homes and businesses. The substation at Waddamana is actually divided into two switiching stations, one at 110 kV (kilovolts) and the other at 220 kV.
Students at Waddamana Substation
It may look like a lot of poles and wires, but students learned not only about careers in engineering and asset management, but the types of decision making that fed into long-term investment decisions first-hand. As part of this, students learnt how TasNetworks prioritises reliability in our electrical grid, having a duplicate for every asset makes sure that the lights stay on even if a fault occurs. Since the assets are only run at half their capacity, they can last decades before needing to be replaced. This is why choosing the right assets to invest in is so important.
Poatina Power Station is one of our largest hydropower stations in Tasmania, located about 45 minutes from Launceston CBD. When Waddamana Power Station was decommissioned, the water from the Great Lake was diverted towards Poatina Power Station, via tunnels and penstocks around 8km long, no less…
Students toured the station, located around 150m underground, learing about how operating a hydropower station has changed over the past few decades. With "variable" energy sources now online, including wind and solar (which are dependent on weather conditions), the timing of when hydropower 'comes online' has changes significantly - we may as well let the sun do its thing during the day!
Looking back up the tunnel that enters Poatina Power Station
As global energy markets continue to transform with renewable energy, there will be more opportunities to create innovative solutions for a low-emissions future. Ava, from Prospect High School, says, “my favourite part [of Girls in Power] would be going to Poatina Power Station. I really enjoyed learning about hydro power and how the world is evolving. Sustainable energy is going to completely change our future”.
At the Australian Maritime College, students had an exclusive look at a very new form of renewable electricity generation – wave swell technology. The full-scale prototype of a wave energy converter was piloted off the coast of King Island over last few years.
The wave swell prototype (left), and an image of the full-scale prototype offshore at King Island (right)
It was first built in the AMC’s model test basin facility, designed to extract energy from ocean waves and convert it to electricity. When waves pass through the converter, the water rises and falls inside, forcing air to pass by a turbine at the top of the chamber.
Between these jam-packed tours, students also completed hands-on activities including creating their own hydro and wind turbines, flying mini drones, and driving solar-powered mini-cars.
Students designing and testing the speed of their hydropower turbines
Ava said, “I really enjoyed meeting heaps of new people, and having so many new experiences that I have never had. My favourite part has been learning about how to sustainably keep that change…”
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