The first associate’s degree credit program in Ohio in the burgeoning field of wind turbine power generation is underway this fall semester at Lorain County Community College.
The Associate of Science degree in Alternative Energy Technology Wind Turbine major will train students to become installation and maintenance professionals. “Wind turbine power is expected to be one of the fastest-growing alternative energy sources,” said LCCC program coordinator Duncan Estep, “and it will need qualified people to service the technology that is involved.”
Here are some facts to consider. According to the American Wind Energy Association, wind now provides 20,152 mega watts (MW) of electricity generating capacity in the United States – producing enough electricity to serve 5.3 million homes or power a fleet of more than 1 million plug-in hybrid vehicles. This amount of wind capacity can generate as much electricity every year as 28.7 million tons of coal or 90 million barrels of oil. Wind generation currently displaces 34 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to taking 5.8 million vehicles off the road.
“Wind turbine technology has a great potential impact for Lorain County,” said Estep “This translates into the generation of clean energy production and jobs in the installation and maintenance of these turbines.” The new associate’s degree program will cover an overview of alternative energy sources with specialized training in electronics, electronic controls, mechanical systems and more. The program will focus on residential-sized wind turbines and will include training on commercial-sized turbines according to Estep.
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