OREgaua in Portugalete

OREgaua floods the Nautika Building with science in an event full of activities to bring marine renewable energies closer to families

Families testing wind turbine models in OREGAUA, Portugalete.

On 27th September from 5pm to 10pm, the Nautika building of the UPV/EHU, Portugalete, became the epicentre of the dissemination of marine renewable energies, hosting OREgaua as part of the European Researchers' Night. This event, which is held simultaneously in diverse European cities, came to Portugalete for the first time.

 

Driving ROVs in Portugalete's swimming pools

 

It is estimated that around 2,000 people, in addition to the 80 researchers from TECNALIA, UPV/EHU and BCAM directly involved in the organisation of the event, attended this night full of games, experiments and scientific activities related to marine renewables. OREgaua is part of the European ORE4citizens project, led by TECNALIA in collaboration with UPV/EHU, Euskampus Fundazioa and BCAM, with the support of Portugalete Town Hall and 20 other entities from the sector.

The aim of this project is to bring science closer to citizens, highlighting the crucial role of offshore renewable energies in the energy transition. Driving ROVs in Portugalete’s swimming pools OREgaua: educational activities for all ages Families enjoyed a host of free activities, designed for both children over the age of 3 and adults interested in finding out more about marine renewable energies.

The event offered an extensive programme, including:

• Underwater robot handling competition
• Drone flights
• Wind turbine model workshop
• ORELAB (a laboratory in which experiments on buoyancy and corrosion in salt water were carried out, among others)
• Survival at sea course
• Workshop on sailor's knots and exhibitions of ORE projects by Basque companies
• TXIKIGUNE (face painting, games and crafts, storytelling)
• Visit to the Agurtza Boat Museum, a fishing boat turned into an interpretation centre
• Guided walk through the maritime-river landscape of Portugalete, with a historical look at its industrial past
• Monologues and storytelling by research staff at UPV/EHU

 

Monologues and storytelling session in the Auditorium of Nautika Itsasgunea building in Portugalete

 

The monologue and storytelling session was held from 6.15pm to 8.15pm. From the ins and outs of the number of moons that inhabit our solar system, by Naiara Barredo and her monologue "Hasta las lunas y vuelta” (To the Moons and Back), to the magic games with fire included, performed by Leire Zufia Miguel, as well as the mysteries of the water mills hidden in our forests, by Esteban Jacob Taquet and the description of the different sharks that swim in fresh and salt water, told by Ibon Cancio, without forgetting Iván Alvarez and his reflection on the water cycles on our planet.

They were short and interesting stories that aroused the curiosity of families. Afterwards, the younger audience and their families were amazed by the experiments of the monologuists and the mathematical calculations of Raúl Ibañez, the storyteller. It was illustrated in real time by his partner, the cartoonist Enrique Morente. An online impact questionnaire was also carried out to assess the opinion of the people who attended the OREgaua. Finally, at the end of the event, different raffles were held to reward the participants for their involvement in the scientific evening.

ORE4citizens: a project committed to the sustainability of the marine future

ORE4citizens aims not only to disseminate science, but also to raise awareness of the challenges facing the Basque coast due to climate change and the importance of marine renewable energies in the transition towards a more sustainable energy model. This initiative seeks to highlight the Basque Country's leadership in the marine renewables sector and the opportunity it represents for both Basque society and the planet.

The project will continue to develop educational and informative activities in different Basque municipalities over the coming two years, consolidating itself as a key tool in the dissemination of scientific knowledge related to sustainability and taking care of the marine environment.

More information on OREGAUA web.