Trip
Visit Drax Power Station and immerse your students in the fascinating world of energy generation.
Secondary
Drax Power Station provides the most renewable power of any single location in the UK, generating 11% of the UK’s renewable energy or enough electricity to power the equivalent of four million homes.
The tour of Drax Power Station offers a captivating and educational experience free-of-charge, enabling all students to immerse themselves in the fascinating world of energy generation.
The Station has 4 operational boilers, as high as a 15-storey office block, a main chimney taller than the London Eye, and over 1,200 miles of steel tubing, enough to stretch from John O’Groats to Land’s End and back again. It’s a site etched on the local landscape since 1974. On a tour at Drax you can see it all first-hand.
Visitors will gain valuable insights into the intricate energy generation process employed at Drax, witnessing first-hand how electricity is produced on a massive scale. They will also learn about the pivotal role biomass plays in ensuring energy security and renewable power, as well as a look into Drax's BECCS project all about the future of carbon dioxide removal which will mitigate climate change, foster a cleaner, more sustainable energy landscape and create thousands of green energy jobs over the next 10 years.
Educational tours of Drax Power Station shine a light on the employment opportunities in the energy sector by showcasing the diverse careers within the power station, from engineers to technicians. The visit will inspire learners to consider engineering as a viable and rewarding career path.
Cost and logistics
This activity is free.
For secondary school groups the maximum number is 40 students (including teachers). For College and University, students must be studying a relevant course, and the maximum number of visitors is 15 (including tutor).
Monday to Friday from 10am, with the last tour departing at 1pm.
Tours take approximately 2 – 2 ½ hours.
There is an option to extend the tour to a full day, which includes a visit to the Skylark Centre, an on-site nature reserve where learning can range from exploring the local ecology, to learning more about the power generation process.
Improve engagement, interest or enjoyment in STEM subjects
Improve attainment and progress in STEM subjects
Learning what the engineering workplace is like
Develop engineering employability skills
Improve awareness and aspirations for STEM-related study and careers
Challenge stereotypes by showing the diversity of disciplines, people and skills involved in engineering
The Gatsby benchmarks are a framework for good careers guidance for schools across all of England and in some areas across the rest of the UK. This experience helps your school to reach the following benchmarks:
The essential skills every young person needs to succeed in education and their future career. Find out more at the Skills Builder Partnership. This experience builds the following skills:
Aiming high - the ability to set clear, tangible goals and devise a robust route to achieving them.
Listening - the ability to listen and understand information.
What the teachers sayLog in to write a testimonialWe would love to read all about your time with this experience!
Secondary
Renishaw offers schools a range of free workshops at their HQ and manufacturing site, all designed to inspire young students to consider STEM careers and help them to understand more about engineering.
