Academic Blog - July 2nd
To end the school year on high note, the MYP classes all visited the Grande Dixence barrage during the last week of term. MYP 1 and 2 have been looking at renewable energy and Switzerland is a major producer of Hydro-Electric Power (HEP). A field trip of this type brings home the scale of such projects, going beyond what we can learn from books, photographs and videos. The details below, from the official website, give us an idea of the scale of this project, which is situated at 2’365 metres altitude.
‘Situated at the head of the Val des Dix, Grande Dixence is the highest gravity dam in the world, and something of a record-breaker! The height of its wall, 285 metres, remains unmatched. Its weight, approximately 15 million tonnes, makes it heavier than the Great Pyramid of Cheops. The dam is 200 metres wide at its base. At the top it «slims down» to just 15 metres’.
The Grande Dixence hydroelectric power complex generates some 2 billion kWh of power per year and accounts for 20% of Switzerland’s energy storage capacity. It provides enough electricity to power the equivalent of 500,000 homes and it accounts for 20% of Switzerland’s energy storage capacity.
The students were able to visit the interior of the barrage and hiked in the surrounding area, with some breathtaking views. Many were adventurous enough to try the zip wire which has recently been set up at the summit of the dam. In all, a great day out to finish off the school year.
