Wind power jobs are abundant, but training is scarce

[depakid]

Vestas Wind Systems, the world's largest supplier of wind energy, donated this wind turbine hub to Columbia Gorge Community College last year. The hub -- the spinning part of a turbine where blades attach -- will be used in the college's yearlong technician training program when it's installed in a new lab this spring.
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Last spring, Vestas Wind Systems donated a 12,000-pound turbine hub to Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles so students enrolled in the wind technician training program could get their hands on the very equipment they would one day maintain.

Today, it sits in storage near Portland International Airport waiting for completion of a new lab building.

The irony isn't lost on Dan Spatz, the school's resource development director. The college, which runs the only certified wind technician training program in the West, needs more money to meet a huge demand for skilled workers, both Spatz and industry leaders say.

And while he's thankful for a $400,000 state grant for the lab, he's concerned that Gov. Ted Kulongoski's proposed budget didn't include $8 million toward a $19.5 million, 23,000-square-foot training center.

One thing that did make it into Kulongoski's spending plan is up to $19 million cash to entice Vestas to expand its North American headquarters in Portland. Vestas is the world's leading supplier of wind power.

In this economy, no one is sure what will remain in the state budget, but that only makes the competition for the shrinking pot of money all the more fierce as Oregon tries to position itself as a leader in renewable energy.

Kulongoski has pushed to make Oregon a player through state policy, tax credits and direct cash incentives.

"The governor is talking about green jobs and a green economy, but they still don't have wind technician training on the radar," Spatz said. "I don't see the emphasis or the recognition that this is an urgent opportunity for the state to invest in this technology. There's a disconnect." Kulongoski spokeswoman Anna Richter Taylor said the governor believes "very much" in expanding the community college programs, pointing out that in 2005, the state gave the schools their first construction grants in 30 years.

More: http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/02/wind_power_jobs_are_abundant_b.html

[HAARP]

1. windpower just a lot of air

Careful about jumping on the windpower bandwagon. It's not all that great.

Solar is the human race's answer to all our energy needs. I believe PV tech. is approaching
40% efficiency.

But if every house and building in the world had a solar panel
it would make a very large difference in world fossil fuel consumption.

Just one panel.

[Massacure]

2. 40% in the lab. Everything on the market is 15%ish.

Wind power is cost competitive. Solar is not.

[randr]

3. Right now wind power is more cost efficient than coal power

One thing the wars in the mideast have done on a positive note is to have trained many service people in the installation and maintenance of wind and solar technologies.
These people, when they return home will have the experience and knowledge to help man a growing workforce.