Large industrial wind farms – such as those in California’s Altamont Pass, Tehachapi, and San Gorgonio – are the nation's fastest-growing renewable energy source. The U.S. currently leads the world in wind production and the Department of Energy has set a goal to produce 20 percent of the nation's electricity from wind by 2030. On February 7, 2011 the government also announced a new strategic plan to accelerate offshore wind farm projects along the mid-Atlantic and beyond.
What this means is that there will continue to be a need for wind energy workers and that means training Wind Energy Technicians to operate in compliance with company, state, and federal OSHA requirements, and be capable of safely climbing up 300-foot towers. Luckily the U.S. has numerous educational institutes and technical schools to fill the renewable energy education need.
Wind Energy Schools: The Short List
Established in 1965 and located in Broomfield, Colorado, Redstone College offers a 15-month Associates Degree in Wind Energy Technology. The program includes hands-on training on an on-site Vestas V-27 wind turbine unit, as well as in-depth technical, electronic and mechanical courses. Students also receive safety training – a key component of wind energy training - provided on a 33-foot wind turbine tower. According to the school, “The Redstone degree is geared to providing the level of technical skills that today’s employers are seeking.”
Northwest Renewable Energy Institute is a wind energy school located in Vancouver, Washington (US), that offers a Wind Energy Technician program. This school gets heavy into the many factors associated with wind farm development, including financial costs, land suitability, site design, planning, and contract preparation. According to the school, they stress teaching management of wind turbine sites, including the significance of monitoring the site, safety, proper maintenance procedures, and the importance of troubleshooting problems.
Minnesota West Community & Technical College is located in Canby, Minnesota and offers an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Wind Energy Technology. The program combines lectures and hands-on training in advanced technical troubleshooting and repairs on commercial wind turbines. According to the school, “Under minimal supervision, graduates will be able to carry out complex daily assembly, service, repair, and operations of infrastructure to wind turbine generators and related equipment.” This tech school includes courses in basic digital circuits, motor controllers, programmable logic controllers, and computerized data collection. They also emphasize an understanding of environmental issues and politics, written technical skills, and data interpretation, according to the school.
Mesalands Community College, located in Tucumcari, New Mexico, is home of the North American Wind Research and Training Center (NAWRTC). Conceived in the spring of 2005, by July of 2007 the College purchased a 1.5 megawatt wind turbine and by August of 2008 the first class of wind energy technicians began training. Today, NAWRTC offers an Associate of Applied Science Degree for Wind Energy Technician. Customized training is also available to meet the needs of specific wind technology firms. That training can range from three days to eight weeks depending on the complexity of the topics to be covered.
Established in 1968, Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, Wyoming, is a full-service community college with campuses in Cheyenne and Laramie, and outreach centers at F.E. Warren Air Force Base and in Pine Bluffs. Their Wind Turbine Technician programs include an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Wind Energy – including internships.
Texas State Technical College West Texas has campuses located in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater. TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science Degree, as well as certificate programs and online learning options in Wind Energy and Turbine Technology. The programs focus on what makes a wind turbine function, including electrical, pneumatic, communications, computer, control and hydraulic systems. The school also maintains a 2 megawatt wind turbine for hands-on training.
