Ørsted, the global leader in offshore wind, has announced a £100,000 regional investment as a founding partner in the Eureka! Mersey project to develop a world-class science and discovery centre in the Wirral.
At a crucial time for regional investment, the new partnership aims to continue the regeneration of the Wirral waterfront and address a potential “skills gap” by boosting engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects.
The visitor attraction, situated just two minutes’ walk from Ørsted’s King’s Wharf Operations & Maintenance base, will address themes closely aligned with the Liverpool City region’s Local Industrial Strategy, such as Low Carbon and Innovation. It also strongly aligns with the region’s “Build Back Better” principles to economic recovery aimed at reshaping the local economy and society in a way that’s greener and more inclusive.
By making STEM subjects exciting and accessible, Ørsted & Eureka! hope to boost aspiration in science-based careers, such as offshore wind. To ensure the highest impact among the target audience (six to 14-year-olds), the centre’s content is being designed in close collaboration with local schools and industry.
Over the past two years, Ørsted has worked closely with the Eureka team and pupils at The Mosslands School, Wallasey to co-create wind-energy themed content.
Turbine Technicians will tell the story of how skilled technicians ensure that Ørsted’s offshore wind turbines keep working well. The immersive and interactive experience will focus on how technicians repair turbines, involving choosing the right person and right equipment for the task.
‘On-shore’ children will be challenged to detect and diagnose faults using a diagram of the turbines and then to choose the equipment needed for the job, whilst keeping a check on the weather conditions. Through a digital AV experience, they will journey across to the Turbine and engage with mechanical challenges to fix the diagnosed issues. Their reward for a job well done will be a beautiful view out to sea to catch the sunset.
Duncan Clark, Head of Region UK at Ørsted, said:
“Offshore wind has already become a key figure on the Wirral waterfront and the region has established a well-deserved reputation as a centre of excellence for clean energy. We’re very proud to have been operating in the North West for more than 10 years and it’s our aim to create a lasting positive impact.
“Especially now, projects with real purpose, such as Eureka Mersey, are part of what the region needs. By boosting engagement with STEM subjects and aspiration in science-based careers, we can open up the world of future possibilities to future generations of scientists & engineers across the region.”
Leigh-Anne Stradeski, Eureka! Chief Executive, said:
“We are absolutely delighted that Ørsted has become a corporate Founding Partner of Eureka! Mersey. They have been supportive from the very outset of our project, participating actively in our co-creation process which engages children and young people with industry partners to help shape the content that will characterise the Eureka! Mersey experience. This generous financial support brings us even closer to our total project target of £11.75M. Equally important, it means we will be able to work with the Ørsted team in the coming years to spark interest and enthusiasm in STEM subjects and careers to support the growth and development of the Liverpool City Region and more broadly, a sustainable future for all of us.”
Councillor Tony Jones, Wirral Council Cabinet Member Regeneration and Growth said:
“It’s great to see an important local employer such as Ørsted playing such a key role in supporting what I know will be a fantastic attraction. When it opens Eureka Mersey will bring visitors to Wirral but most importantly it will help inspire young people’s interest in STEM subjects which will be vital for our region’s economy in the years ahead. This partnership between Eureka! Mersey and Ørsted will support the council’s wide ranging response to our environment and climate emergency declaration last year.”
The science and discovery centre, which is expected to open in 2022, is being developed by Eureka! in partnership with Merseytravel, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Wirral Council.
Ørsted’s multi-million pound facility at Kings Wharf opened in 2017, and employs 45 full-time staff, overseeing operations of two offshore wind farms, Burbo Bank and Burbo Bank Extension, off the Wirral coast.
During the construction of Kings Wharf, the area in front of the facility was also restored, including new benches and granite paving, as part of Ørsted’s commitments to the local community.
About Ørsted:
The Ørsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy. Ørsted develops, constructs and operates offshore and onshore wind farms, solar farms, energy storage facilities, and bioenergy plants, and provides energy products to its customers. Its UK offshore wind farms generate enough clean electricity for over three million UK homes. Ørsted ranks #1 in Corporate Knights’ 2020 index of the Global 100 most sustainable corporations in the world and is recognised on the CDP Climate Change A List as a global leader on climate action. Headquartered in Denmark, Ørsted employs 6,700 people, including over 1000 in the UK. Ørsted’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (Ørsted). In 2019, the group’s revenue was DKK 67.8 billion (EUR 9.1 billion). Visit Ørsted.co.uk or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.
Ørsted in the region
- Burbo Bank, opened in 2007 and was the first offshore windfarm to demonstrate 3.6MW turbine technology. In 2017, Ørsted again raised the bar by being the first company in the world to install 8MW turbines – at Burbo bank Extension – pushing innovation and driving down costs for the industry.
- Ørsted’s multi-million pound operations and maintenance centre at Kings Wharf serves both windfarms and around 45 people are employed at the site.
- Ørsted has committed to a Burbo Bank Extension Community Fund worth approximately £225,000 each year for the lifetime of the Project. The fund benefits local community groups and organisations in the North West, for example the New Brighton Mermaid Trail.
- Ørsted’s nationwide partnership with the RNLI includes funding the running costs of the RNLI station in New Brighton.
- Ørsted also works with Teach First to further its work in addressing educational inequalities in Merseyside and Grimsby. We support the charity to attract, train and retain excellent teachers for those schools that need them the most; with a particular focus on teachers of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
About the Eureka! Mersey Project
Plans for a Eureka! science and discovery centre in the Wirral began in 2014. It is an initiative of Eureka! The National Children’s Museum in partnership with Wirral Council, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA). It is funded primarily by £6.44m from the LCRCA’s Strategic Investment Fund and a £3m award from the Inspiring Science Fund, co-funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Wellcome Trust with a further £0.5m invested by Wirral Council. Several major Trusts and Foundations have also supported the project and the remaining support required is currently being sought from other sources across the City Region and nationally.
Eureka! Mersey has been carrying out preliminary work with local corporate and academic partners including Ørsted, Unilever, Sci-tech Daresbury, Arup and Liverpool John Moores University. Content and design has been driven by an extensive process of co-creation with children and young people representing primary and secondary schools, youth groups and community organisations from across the local area and City Region over the past 2 years.
Eureka! Mersey is designed to engage and inspire children and young people aged 6 – 14 in STEM subjects, and will also have an area dedicated to 0-5 year olds. It will attract local visitors, as well as those from the wider North West and across the country serving as an important part of the regeneration of Wirral and a contributor to the broader visitor economy.
