Assessing Decarbonisation Technologies at Great Yarmouth Power Station – RWE
Company Information:
RWE Offshore Wind is part of the energy company RWE and produces electricity using wind turbines built at sea. It designs, builds and operates offshore wind farms in countries such as the UK, Germany and the USA. As one of the world’s largest offshore wind developers, it helps cut carbon emissions and fight climate change. RWE Offshore Wind also develops new technology, including floating wind turbines and recyclable blades, showing how science, engineering and sustainability can create clean energy for the future.
Project Overview
RWE operates energy infrastructure across the UK and internationally. This project focuses on Great Yarmouth Power Station and explores how the site could reduce its carbon emissions in the future.
The internship will investigate practical decarbonisation technologies and assess how realistic they would be to introduce at the power station. The aim is to identify achievable, evidence-based ideas that could make the site cleaner and more efficient.
Project Aim
To research and assess the feasibility of decarbonisation technologies at Great Yarmouth Power Station and present realistic recommendations for reducing carbon emissions.
Key Research Questions
• What are the main sources of carbon emissions at a power station?
• What decarbonisation technologies are currently available or emerging?
• Which technologies could realistically be applied at Great Yarmouth Power Station?
• What technical, financial, or practical challenges might limit implementation?
• Which options are short-term improvements, and which are longer-term opportunities?
What You Will Do
• Carry out mainly desk-based research into decarbonisation technologies
• Attend site visits to understand how the power station operates
• Meet team members in different roles to learn about operations and constraints
• Research technologies that could reduce carbon emissions (for example carbon capture, fuel switching, efficiency improvements, or renewable integration where appropriate)
• Assess how realistic each option would be in terms of cost, space, regulation, and technical feasibility
• Develop simple, practical ideas the company could explore further
• Produce a report that can be presented to the team
Science, Engineering and Technical Understanding
• Learning how power stations generate electricity
• Understanding sources of carbon emissions in energy systems
• Exploring engineering solutions for carbon reduction
• Evaluating feasibility using technical and practical criteria
• Linking sustainability goals to real-world infrastructure decisions
Planning and Organisation
You will:
• Break the project into stages (research, site understanding, technology assessment, recommendations)
• Record evidence from research and meetings
• Compare options using clear criteria
• Justify conclusions using technical reasoning
• Manage your time independently
Skills Developed
• Engineering awareness
• Research and data analysis
• Sustainability and carbon reduction knowledge
• Independent working
• Professional communication and presentation skills
Final Outputs
• A written report
• An assessment of possible decarbonisation technologies
• A comparison of feasibility and practicality
• Clear, achievable recommendations for further development
• A presentation-ready report for the RWE team
Reflection and Evaluation
Your report may include:
• What you learned about power generation and decarbonisation
• The most realistic technologies identified and why
• Key barriers or risks to implementation
• What further research or development would strengthen your conclusions
https://www.crestawards.org/resources/crest-gold-student-guide