| Renewable Energy and Workforce Development - August 25, 2010 - Morristown, TN |
Through a collaboration with Walters State Community College's Center for Workforce Development, the Tennessee Valley and Eastern Kentucky Wind Working Group (TVEKWWG) held a workshop with a focus on renewable energy and workforce development in Morristown, TN on August 25, 2010.
Katie Stokes, TVEKWWG Coordinator at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, began the workshop with an introduction to the Department of Energy's 20% by 2030 initiative. She explained that despite slow development of wind farms in the Southeast US, the wind industry has a presence in Tennessee. Several Tennessee business and universities are working in and out of the wind industry through manufacturing, construction and design, and research.
Lauren Steier, Solar Energy Coordinator at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, continued the workforce conversation by detailing the growth of the solar industry in the state. Recently, Tennessee received a boost of development when Knoxville was declared a Solar America City by the Department of Energy. Tennessee contains the key parts of the solar energy supply chain: silicon manufacturing, materials manufacturing, panel construction, and installation.
Rick Carson, a consultant for the Tennessee Valley Authority, explained to the audience the technology behind solar and small wind systems. He detailed several types of solar energy including photovoltaic, thin film, concentrated solar, and solar thermal, and how each technology will collect energy from the sun differently. He also explained that for small wind systems to produce electricity, a turbine should be placed on land at an elevation above 1500' and on a tall tower that will access a smooth wind resource at least 30' above the tree level.
Barnhart Renewables is a great example of how the wind industry in located right here in Tennessee. Brian Thomas, VP of Sales for the Wind Group of Barnhart, gave a presentation on the wind farms Barnhart has constructed across the country. Barnhart has installed about 3000 MW of wind energy over the last six years including Invenergy’s Buffalo Mountain wind farm in Oliver Springs, TN.
Walters State Community College is working to develop an associates degree in clean energy technology. Andy Aarons, an electrical engineering instructor at Walters States, spoke to the group about the work he is beginning on the program which will include solar, wind, and biomass. Classes for the program are expected to begin Spring 2011.
The final speaker of the day was Marcus Taylor, a research assistant and graduate from Appalachian State University's Appropriate Technology Program. In addition to the bachelor's and master's degree programs with concentrations in Appropriate Technology and Renewable Energy Engineering, App State hosts workshops on renewable technologies including small wind, micro-hydro, biodiesel, solar PV, and solar thermal. App State has semester long course and also a condensed two-weekend-long course on solar PV which will prepare those who are interested in taking the entry-level exam for North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) certification for solar installation. More information on the opportunities at App State is available on their website: http://www.wind.appstate.edu.
The workshop's intention was to inform the community of Morristown, TN of the green jobs and educational opportunities that are available in and around Tennessee. Renewable Energy has experienced tremendous growth in the last decade and will see even more growth in the coming years. To view the presentations from this workshop visit the TVEKWWG's Walters State workshop page at http://www.tennesseewind.org/waltersstatecc2010.html.
|
|
