Wednesday morning, something new took place at HCC a 3.2 kilowatt residential class wind turbine was raised outside HCC’s Wind Turbine Technician Training Center. Not only will this wind turbine harness the wind to help power the training center, but it will be used as a training tool for the college’s Wind Turbine Technician program

The turbine will be maintained and repaired by the students. One student who was front and center at the raising of the turbine Wednesday was John Debias, a second year student in the wind turbine program. Debias said it was exciting to be part of something that will not only benefit the community and the college, but will also be a “valuable” learning tool.

“I have been studying wind turbines for the past couple of years and to be a part of the raising of the turbine was so exciting,” Debias said. “Having this turbine as a presence on campus shows what wind turbines can do as a form of alternative energy.  “This is experimental, but it will help out us technicians and it shows us what a commercial wind turbine can do it’s about the wind power,” he added.  Debias went on to say that the knowledge he and his classmates will be able to acquire makes the turbine a “concrete learning tool.”  “This turbine gives us the recognition (for) our college and our program,” Debias said.

Instructing Change
Highland Community College wind technology instructor Dave Vrtol plays a part in developing wind programs at the local college.

Vrtol is also sub-chairman for the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) Education Working Group. AWEA is a national trade association that promotes wind energy around the world. In this volunteer position, Vrtol helps AWEA develop introductory workforce training programs and standardized curriculum guidelines for programs like the one at HCC.

“This allows us to concentrate focus on our grant funding to go ahead to process a wind ready operation,” Vrtol said. “This is huge for us and will help build the program for classes down the line.”

Vrtol said without the grant and the vision of HCC President Dr. Joe Kanosky and others from the college, this new addition would not have been possible at HCC.   “All of this is tied to the grant we received,” Vrtol said. “This opens the door in so many areas with specialized programs and an understanding for our students to understand wind readings and getting them involved.  “Now, the students are able to see in real time numbers that go with wind readings,” he added.

For the next 24 hours, Vrtol and his students will be getting acclimated to the new wind turbine. Already by Wednesday afternoon, the turbine was producing electricity.  “This is great,” Vrtol said. “Very soon, it will be put to good use.”

Courtesy of The Journal-Standard. Copyright 2011. Some rights reserved