Waubonsee Community College expands sustainable energy curriculum

SUGAR GROVE – Waubonsee Community College continues to expand and strengthen its sustainable energy curriculum. This spring, a wind energy course joined photovoltaic array (solar panel) and underground geothermal programs.

“We’re trying to prepare students for the green economy,” said Jane Regnier, assistant vice president of Program Development and Distance Learning. “Down the road, we would like to get a solar thermal course up and running.”

No matter what career path students choose, Regnier said they will be “job ready and equipped with an understanding of ways to provide alternate energy using less carbons.”

Waubonsee’s new wind energy systems course got off to a flying start in late March with installation of a 70-foot-tall Skystream wind turbine that has three 7-foot-long blades. It has a rated power of up to 2,400 kilowatts. The turbine, installed on the northwest corner of the campus near the Academic and Professional Center, is more than a teaching tool, said Gregg Erickson, renewable energy technologies instructor.

The APC’s electricity consumption is supplemented via a grid interface through an inverter in the turbine’s head. Based on a 12 mph wind, the device produces about 400 kilowatts a month.

“There’s always fluctuation in the wind, but this new unit has worked very well,” Erickson said.

Radio communication from the turbine to an on-site computer relays production information.

“We’re working with information technology personnel to get that data to our lab and classroom so it can be viewed and monitored by the students,” Erickson said.

Nine students, from their early 20s to mid 50s, are enrolled in the first series of classes that provide an introduction to small wind.

Students get an understanding of dynamics. They learn about collecting wind energy, sizing and maintaining the apparatus, calculating average wind speeds and identifying ideal sites for capturing wind. In addition, the training involves working with zoning boards and seeking permission from the Federal Aviation Authority. Most towers require at least a 1-acre site.

“We also are planning to offer safe climbing training in order to do maintenance of the tower,” said Erickson, an Elburn resident and former electrician with 42 years’ experience as a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 461 in Aurora.

Students completing the program will earn a Small Wind Certificate of Achievement and qualify to take the test for North American Board of Certified energy Practitioners certification.

In June, the college will offer a condensed version of the Small Wind classes that will convene twice a week for eight weeks, said Erickson, who also teaches photovoltaic programs.

“The time is ripe for these programs,” he said. “New technology is making everything become more efficient, and you’re seeing a definite need for us as responsible citizens to find better ways of saving our natural resources. We must get a mindset on conservation.”