With grant support, Verde Campus can build solar farm saving taxpayers thousands of dollars; it can also join other progressive community colleges nationally who are starting training students for the solar energy industry and developing solar technology labs
It’s time for Yavapai Community College to think outside the box in its development of the Verde campus on the East side of the County. With 80 acres of vacant land, one can only be puzzled by the failure of the Community College’s past administrations to seize the moment ago and begin developing a solar farm to provide electricity to that Campus and to be used as a training ground for solar technicians. There have been dozens of grant opportunities that it could have sought tout o pay for the farm and the training. There remain many grant opportunities that could pay for it today.
It seems pretty clear and with a solar farm, a career and technical education program on the Verde Campus could focus and begin to develop a workforce of solar energy technicians. There are already community colleges moving in this direction.
For example, in a December 26, 2018 Community College Review article, it was reported that the Kennebec Valley Community College in Maine has opened a solar heating and cooling Lab. The Community college was chosen by the U.S. Department of Energy ten years ago as one of nine regional resource and training locations nationwide. A new building was paid for in part by funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Where was Yavapai college?
Another community college mentioned by the Community College Review offering solar thermal systems technician training is Arapahoe Community College in Colorado. The school features an Active Solar Thermal Systems Technician Certificate program to qualify students to work for solar systems dealers, installers or contractors. According to the college website, the program includes the following courses: Intro to Energy Technologies, Solar Thermal System Install, Field/Lab Experience (Capstone) Solar Domestic Hot Water Systems, 30-HR Construction Industry Standards. Piping Skills. These cover 19. credit hours.
The program correlates with the national standards set by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. This organization is currently in the process of creating a Solar Thermal Entry-Level Exam, which the community college plans to offer when it is available.
According to the Community College Review, the Salt Lake Community College offers training for instructors of solar photovoltaic and solar heating and cooling technologies. The Utah program is a partnership between the Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Program, Salt Lake Community College, Solar Energy International and the Utah Solar Energy Association.
Solar energy is the future and training is badly needed. Wouldn’t it be great if Yavapai Community College began thinking outside the box and exploring how to prepare some of its graduates for that eventuality on the Verde Campus. Under its new leadership, I have hope that it will do just that.