Wind Powering America and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) launched the Wind for Schools project in 2005 by conducting a pilot project in Colorado that resulted in one small wind turbine installed in Walsenburg, wind energy curriculum development, and a great deal of enthusiasm for the Wind for Schools project's potential. The Wind for Schools project works to replicate the process piloted in Walsenburg by installing many more small wind turbines, engaging local citizens in a wind energy discussion, and developing a knowledge base for wind energy within schools.
A Wind for Schools wind turbine installed at Greenbush High School, Kansas. View a larger version.
A video documenting the installation process of the Pocatello Community Charter School (Idaho) wind turbine. Click on the video above to watch the video or read the transcript.
The general approach of the Wind for Schools project is to install small wind turbines at rural elementary and secondary schools (hosts) while developing Wind Application Centers at higher education institutions. Teacher training and hands-on curricula are implemented at each host school to bring the wind turbine into the classroom through interactive and interschool wind-related research tasks. The students at the Wind Application Centers assist in the assessment, design, and installation of the small wind systems at the host schools, acting as wind energy consultants. They also participate in-class work and other engineering projects in the wind energy field, preparing them to enter the wind workforce once they graduate. Read more about how the Wind for Schools project works (PDF 1.4 MB) Download Adobe Reader.
Wind for Schools projects are currently supported in six Great Plains states (CO, ID, KS, MT, NE, SD). At the end of the first year of full project operation, 17 systems have been installed at host schools and over 60 university students were involved in Wind Application Center activities. Wind Powering America compiles a list of known school wind projects.
Eight entities are principally involved in each Wind for Schools project: the host school (which includes a science teacher, the school administration, and the community); the Wind Application Center; a state facilitator; Wind Powering America/NREL/DOE; a green certificate-sponsoring company; a wind turbine manufacturer; the local utility or electric cooperative; and the state energy office. The roles of these organizations are not rigidly defined to allow different states to implement the project as is most appropriate. Read more about each of the participants' roles.
Wind Energy System
The focus of the Wind for Schools activity is to implement wind technology primarily for educational purposes. With education as the primary driver, the Wind for Schools system must 1) be easy to implement and interconnect to the school's electrical grid, 2) be small enough so that all of the system generation will be used at the school, and 3) have integrated data logging to provide data for use in the classroom. The standard Wind for School system consists of a SkyStream 3.7, 2.4-kW wind turbine on a 70-ft guyed or 60-ft monopole tower. An installed Wind for Schools system costs between $15,000 and $20,000 to fully commercially install, depending primarily on the tower type selected. Between $7,000 and $10,000 of this amount is for equipment and other system-specific hardware. The host school typically provides between $1,500 and $2,500; the sale of the turbine's environmental benefits will provide approximately $2,500; and state-based grants, local donations, or equipment buy-down will provide the remaining funds. Many project participants donate their time and the local utility or co-op is strongly encouraged to provide in-kind support for the turbine installation. More information on the wind for school system can be found in the "Wind for Schools Project Power System Brief" (PDF 542 KB) Download Adobe Reader.
Wind Energy Curricula
Through the Wind for Schools program activity, curricula is being developed and implemented at both the university and K-12 level. At the university level the program is aimed at educating college students in wind energy applications with a focus on hands-on small wind project development through classes and field work. Curricula is developed and shared among the Wind Application Centers, each typically focusing on specific technical areas that are the strengths of the respective professors and institutions. Providing educational opportunities at the primary and secondary level is also crucial to the project's aim of developing a workforce for the future. This aspect is completed by implementing age-appropriate curricula produced by the NEED project and KidWind. This hands-on, interactive curricula is supported through teacher training workshops in each of the states, sponsored by the Wind for Schools project. The program also provides teacher training science kits for use in the classroom. Wind Powering America also provides links to additional teaching materials.
Although the Wind for Schools project is currently only supported in six states, it is possible for other schools or even whole states to adopt the methodology and apply it locally. Through the Wind for Schools affiliate projects, K-12 schools or whole state-based programs can leverage all of the existing materials to implement activities in their areas. Learn more about the two affiliate projects.
