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	Franklin County, Kansas, USA

2009-11-07

2009-11-04

2009-11-05

Agriculture

Lifestyles

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 11:19 AM

Community colleges taking the lead on innovation

Innovation is the name of the game on energy and Kansas community colleges are among the best at adapting.

One example of that adaptation is Cloud County Community College’s addition of a Wind Energy Technology program.

The Concordia college began offering the program two years ago. Four students were in the initial class. Now the school lists 110 students in the program with 50 people still on the waiting list.

Coincidentally, Cloud County is home to Meridian Way Wind Farm, which includes turbines on 65 property owners combined 20,000 acres. The $340 million Meridian Way wind farm is owned by Houston-based Horizon Wind Energy and sells energy to Westar Energy and Empire District Electric in Joplin, Mo.

Not far away, the Smoky Hills Wind Project by Trade Wind Energy, involving 12 property owners on 20,000 acres, will produce 250 megawatts after phase two is completed. It is just down the road in Ellis and Lincoln counties, 20 miles west of Salina.

Still, the energy training program isn’t just to supply Kansas companies with workers. Wind turbine workers are in demand. Despite 30 similar programs across the country, just 300 new technicians completed training and were ready to go to work last year. Clearly this is an area of opportunity for people with strong physical endurance to climb the 450-foot tall turbines while wearing 15-pound harnesses.

Demand for workers will continue to grow with the recent announcement of Siemens Energy’s new wind energy manufacturing plan in Hutchinson.

With the state ranking third in wind potential and 12th in development, the need for more wind technicians is obvious. Kansas community colleges will continue to be relevant to their patrons by adapting to the industrial and educational needs of each.

— Jeanny Sharp, editor and publisher

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Community colleges taking the lead on innovation

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article | Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article |
Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.