Second-year students from Midtfyns Gymnasium visited Højby solar park to learn about solar energy

The students from the school’s natural science programme and their teacher were invited to the solar park to learn about working with solar energy, which is one of the disciplines you may choose once you have received a STEM education (science, technology, engineering, mathematics).

The purpose of the visit to Højby solar park was therefore also to provide the students with the opportunity to see the local solar park from the inside while, at the same time, gaining an insight into how a solar park actually works.

“We’re extremely pleased to contribute to the STEM courses at Midtfyns Gymnasium by offering the students insight into what it’s like to work with solar energy development and production. In future, we’ll need more and more people who are trained in natural science, where knowledge and skills in solar energy will be crucial. Already today, we’re experiencing a high demand, both in the industry and as a company, for skilled employees in the STEM disciplines, which will prove decisive to the green transition,” says Glenn Aagesen, Chief Operations Officer at Nordic Solar.

The purpose of the visit was also to let the local solar park play an active part in the upper secondary education of students:

“It’s a great pleasure to invite students from the local area into Højby solar park and show them what a solar park looks like, and how it works from a technical point of view. We find it interesting to talk with the students about their experiences and what makes them curious in the areas of solar energy, at the same time as we have the opportunity to contribute to their education by sharing our knowledge in the field,” says Glenn Aagesen.

Prior to the students’ visit at the solar park, Nordic Solar had visited the class at its school in Ringe and discussed, for example, educational and job opportunities available once you hold a science degree. And this was particularly important to their teacher Kenneth Alsing Bertelsen:

“Midtfyns Gymnasium wants to become even more integrated in the local community to make the school the natural choice for young people in central Funen. Through a collaboration with local businesses and institutions, Midtfyns Gymnasium intends to show the students how they may apply the skills they gain in the upper secondary school. The hope is that a visit to Nordic Solar’s solar park in Højby will attract the students’ interest in the STEM subjects when they see them applied in practice,” says Kenneth Alsing Bertelsen, who teaches astronomy, physics and mathematics at Midtfyns Gymnasium.

Many questions from curious students
At Højby solar park, the students attended a number of presentations. They were given the opportunity to talk with an engineer from Nordic Solar’s Engineering team who shared how the solar park functions technically, for example in terms of the tracker system, which, inspired by the sunflower, allows the solar panels to track the sun in the sky and thus generate even more energy. They also talked with a Nordic Solar biodiversity expert who told them about our work to promote biodiversity in the solar park. Nordic Solar’s Head of ESG and Sustainability, Mette Just Elkjær, noticed the many good questions asked by the students:

“It’s been great fun to spend the day with the students from Midtfyns Gymnasium. It has, for instance, given us the opportunity to talk about the potential of solar energy as a crucial energy source in future when it comes to reducing carbon emissions and completing the green transition, and the impact it has. The students were extremely well prepared and asked many relevant questions, which shows that they are a generation who is very committed to leaving a positive footprint on the earth,” says Mette Just Elkjær.

Midtfyns Gymnasium and Nordic Solar alike hope that the solar park visit will help increase young people’s interest in natural sciences subjects.

“At Nordic Solar, we work with several educational institutions. Creating value with our internal knowledge and know-how, at the same time as we extend our knowledge and competencies through external input is a high priority. Therefore, we really appreciate a partnership like the one with Midtfyns Gymnasium, just as we prioritise employing students and graduates who have up-to-date knowledge. Ultimately, I hope that, after visiting our solar park in Højby, more students in the class have developed an interest in solar energy,” says Glenn Aagesen.

About Højby solar park
Højby solar park has a production capacity of 32 MWp, which corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of about 11,000 households. A number of businesses have entered into power purchase agreements on buying electricity. The solar park has a 'tracker' system, which enables it to track the sun during the day, thereby optimising the energy production. In addition, a number of initiatives to promote biodiversity in the area have been included in the solar park. The solar park was connected to the electricity grid last year and was officially inaugurated on 15 August 2023 by, among others, the mayor of Odense, Peter Rahbæk Juel.

For more information, please contact:
Head of Communications & Marketing, Maria Jørvad, Nordic Solar A/S
Tel. +45 20 96 53 79, [email protected]