STUDENTS visited Europe’s biggest carbon saving project to learn about energy and electricity generation.

Aysgarth School in Bedale sent 36 boys aged 12 and 13 to Drax Power Station, near Selby, which has upgraded half its generating capacity to use compressed wood pellets in place of coal.

They were taken on a tour of the site which included the 427m turbine that houses six turbines, and they saw the UK’s first wood pellet storage domes, each large enough to fit The Royal Albert Hall inside.

The 12 cooling towers, which stand at 115m high, are taller than the Statue of Liberty.

Science teacher Peter Gaven said: “The tour enabled us to look at the whole process of electricity generation, the energy resources used at Drax, the environmental advantages of renewable power and dealing with resources and disposal.

“A visit like this exposes the pupils to real life matters they are learning about and really helps to reinforce theory taught in the classroom.”