Teesside students gain an insight into the management of guano in offshore wind
Primary school students at St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary School were given a unique opportunity to explore different approaches to guano in offshore wind
- 15 October 2025
RWE Sofia Offshore Wind Farm’s supply chain plan manager Graham Wright spent the day with students at St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary School to offer pupils real world business experiences and inspire them to pursue a career in offshore wind.
Year six students at the Middlesbrough school were given a unique opportunity to explore innovative solutions for guano mitigation, taking on a fun and engaging challenge to develop the most effective, realistic and cost-efficient idea.
Guano is accumulated excrement from seabirds and has a negative impact on infrastructure, health and safety, and operational costs for offshore wind if left unmanaged. The day began with Graham engaging the students in a discussion about offshore wind and the current methods for guano removal.
The students spent the day coming up with imaginative ideas of their own and in the afternoon, each group presented to a panel where they were marked on the project title, cost and risk impacts before receiving feedback from Graham.
The winning group proposed the idea of noise sensors on the foundation platform to prevent the birds from nesting. The idea was easy to maintain, powered by solar energy and preserved the integrity of the turbine, meeting the criteria given during the brief. The only constructive criticism offered was the uncontrollable factor of the height of the birds when defecating. Above a certain height the noise would not be heard by the species. Additionally, it was highlighted that this method would need to be approved by The Wildlife Association.
When speaking about his experience at the school, Graham said: “Attending St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary School was one of the best primary school engagement sessions we have performed. The students were outstanding in their preparation and demonstrated a clear enthusiasm to the industry through their presented ideas. It was a privilege to be part of it.”
Our education programmes are designed to give students an insight into real world challenges faced in the industry and support students into careers in offshore wind. Working with schools, colleges and universities is a key part of our long-term strategy, to create the workforce needed in the future.
