Even though you may think that the desert is no place for anything green, the students at California’s College of the Desert located in Palm Desert are determined to prove you wrong.

Working with the Riverside County Economic Development Agency, an organization aimed to enhance the economic growth of the surrounding county, and using $2 million in economic stimulus funds, the college will train students in several projects for renewable energy. These projects will focus on wind energy and solar energy.

The renewable energy projects

What type of renewable energy projects will the students at California’s College of the Desert be working on? They will learn the ins and outs of large-scale solar energy plants, as well as how to build and safely climb wind turbines.

Some other facts about the renewable energy projects:

• Students can take a seven-week program to gain wind-turbine technician skills
• College hopes to train 120 solar techs to build solar energy plants within 18 months
• Students will learn electrical, pipefitting and mechanical skills for alternative energy jobs
• Students will learn how to climb on a wind-turbine’s 80-foot high tower
• Future plans for classes on solar panel rooftop installation

These renewable energy products are designed to not only prepare students for a future green career, but also to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our nation’s reliance on natural gas and oil imports.

Source: PE.com