Two aspiring engineers are back at college after being granted unique access to experts leading a game-changing project to produce green hydrogen from offshore wind.

Students from Lowestoft and Norwich were given full insight into the offshore wind industry in a month-long project with Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone developer Vattenfall.

Farron Shilling, from Blundeston, and Jack Carthew, from Norwich, met the team behind Vattenfall’s ground-breaking Hydrogen Turbine 1 during a four-week internship.

Farron, a T-level student at East Coast College and a former student at Benjamin Britten Academy of Music and Maths, and Jack, a T-level engineering student at University Technical College Norfolk (UTCN) in Norwich, explored if green hydrogen is the future of energy.

Lowestoft Journal: Vattenfall interns Farron Shilling, far right, and Jack Carthew, second right, toured the Grampian Explorer with master Daren Newbury, second left, and Will Sealey. Picture: VattenfallVattenfall interns Farron Shilling, far right, and Jack Carthew, second right, toured the Grampian Explorer with master Daren Newbury, second left, and Will Sealey. Picture: Vattenfall (Image: Vattenfall)

With supervisor, Vattenfall’s community liaison officer Will Sealey, they went on trips that included a tour of Peel Ports in Great Yarmouth - Vattenfall’s chosen port for its operations and maintenance base - a visit on board a vessel, the Grampian Explorer, that serves the offshore wind industry at North Star, Lowestoft, and had close views of one of Seajacks’ jack-up vessels.

They also visited the site at Necton where electrical infrastructure for the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone will be built.

The pair's experience – part of the Coastal Energy Internship Programme delivered with the Ogden Trust – was based at the University of East Anglia’s Enterprise Centre.

Farron, 18, now intends to apply for a degree apprenticeship in renewable energy when the finishes his T levels next summer.

He said: "The energy industry has longevity and local projects will go from construction and installation through to operations and maintenance."

After presenting their findings at the end of their 20 days, Jack, 17, said: "Our conclusion was hydrogen was the future of energy, but it needs government backing and public education to convince people of the case."

Vattenfall’s community liaison officer, Will Sealey, said: "Farron and Jack had access to leading figures in a fast-emerging energy and game changing technology."