Abstract:

The Department of Energy's Wind for Schools program is most famous for its involvement with supporting the installation of wind turbines at schools and the associated curricular enhancements to the host schools to inspire students to explore futures in wind energy. As important is the mechanism by which this work has been affected, namely via the formation and support of wind application centers in 11 different states. Members of the wind application centers develop and implement the strategies that ultimate result in many thousands of students discovering the relevance of wind energy as well as their relationship to this exciting field. This presentation will explore the how many well-known engineers, policy leaders, developers, future technicians and business leaders trace their roots back to these application centers and programs that inspired the first wind energy application centers. This presentation will show how the Wind for Schools program is learning from these successes and engaging with new programs to replicate success to accelerate the pace of market entry for tomorrow's workforce.

Primary Author:

Charles Newcomb
Section Manager, Wind & Water Deployment, National Renewable Energy Laboratory