Senior physics students from Moranbah State High School have experienced their light bulb moments when they discovered how sunlight is converted to solar energy.

The 20 students visited the Adani Renewables Australia’s Rugby Run Solar Farm yesterday to see progress on construction of the facility and hear how the resulting electricity is fed into the grid.

Organised by the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA), the event is part of the QMEA’s National Science Week activities.

Adani Renewables Australia CEO, Dr. Jennifer Purdie said Rugby Run Solar Farm will supply 65MW of renewable energy in its first phase and has the capacity to expand to 170MW.

“We are well advanced with construction of Rugby Run Solar Farm, so it is an opportune time for the students to visit the site,” Dr. Purdie said.

“The students and their teachers learnt about the operation of solar energy and will be able to relate this back to what they are learning in the classroom. They will also understand the different ways energy is produced and how these solutions translate into affordable and reliable electricity.”

Adani’s Rugby Run Solar Farm will be operational later this year.

Moranbah State High School’s Principal Felicity Roberts said it was extremely beneficial for students to be able to see the real-world applications of their studies.

“This excursion will have them talking for months and will certainly inspire them in their studies,” she said.

“It’ll also help them to see some of the career possibilities from science technology engineering and maths related studies.”