Arts competition marks Global Wind Day
AS PART of this year’s Global Wind Day celebrations pupils from Hopefield Primary and Langebaan Primary entered the Umoya Energy Wind Farm’s arts competition, producing mixed-medium models and posters demonstrating wind energy production.
They took part in competitions and learnt about clean wind energy.
Global Wind Day is marked annually on June 15. It is a day for discovering wind, its power and the possibilities it holds to change the planet – in more than 80 countries worldwide, wind farms are in operation, generating energy from a clean and renewable source.
Umoya Energy is situated about 105km north of Cape Town and has been operational since 2013. The 66MW wind farm comprises 37 wind turbines and is part of the Department of Energy’s first renewable energy independent power producer procurement programme bid window.
The wind farm generates enough electricity to power about 65 000 low-income homes, or 27 000 medium-income homes.
Langebaan Primary Grade 5 pupil Mogamat Swartz said he had learnt much about wind energy, through the competition. “I found (wind energy) very interesting and after a great deal of research and fact gathering. I was inspired to create a model for my arts project,” he said.
Pupils in Grades 1 to 9 were enthusiastic about rolling up their sleeves to get creative. They received information on how wind energy is produced and the benefits of renewable energy.
“We are all very proud of our projects and all that we have learnt about wind energy, especially the role that it plays in our lives,” said Mogamat.
Prizes included scientific calculators, mathematical sets, edu-puzzles, and art equipment.
Umoya Energy regional community operations manager Veronique Isaacs said: “We were very impressed with the pupils’ creativity and all the thought that went into their Global Wind Day posters, which demonstrated their understanding and interpretation of how wind is used to produce clean, sustainable energy.”