BTC hopes to turn blue collars into environmentally friendly color
ROCK TOWNSHIP — Is the future green?
Saving energy, saving money and saving the planet were hot topics before the election of President Barack Obama.
Now these ideas are gaining even more credence with Obama’s push for energy independence and green jobs.
But where do we find the workers with the skills to make it happen?
Blackhawk Technical College is positioning itself to answer that question.
BTC President Eric Larson said BTC officials have been discussing the possibilities for eight to 10 months, but he is aware that Obama’s initiatives could further boost the call for workers trained in “green” technologies.
“We just see it all around us, and we think we ought to get engaged in it,” Larson said.
Obama has proposed spending $150 billion over 10 years to decrease reliance on imported oil, reduce air pollution and to create 5 million jobs.
The plan has its critics. Some question whether the investment would yield that many new jobs. But there’s no doubt the alternative-energy industry was on the rise even before Obama came along.
The Obama plan not only calls for increases in wind and solar power but also weatherizing homes, building “greener” buildings, and upgrading the electrical grid.
Speaking of that grid, BTC recently upgraded its electrical power distribution program, with the help of Alliant Energy.
And when it comes to wind energy, BTC already has most of the components of a degree in wind turbine maintenance, Larson said. That includes programs in power distribution, machine tools and industrial maintenance.
In the wind
Details are being worked out for a cooperative wind turbine program with Highland Community College in Freeport, Ill., Larson said. The idea is that a student could fulfill many of the requirements at BTC and then finish the program at Highland.
Highland recently established an associate-degree program to support a nearby field of the giant turbines. The company that owns that field—EcoEnergy—has been looking to expand into Wisconsin, including Rock County.
Larson said he’s been in touch with EcoEnergy and has been assured that BTC will be the company’s first contact for educating workers if the company expands north of the state line.
BTC also is revamping its landscaping/turf management program, teaching students how to be environmentally sensitive as they tend to sod and soil. The program is now called Green Industry Technician.
There might be more to come.
“We are looking at all forms of alternative, renewable fuels as a new frontier for us to be getting involved in—photovoltaic, wind, ethanol/biomass, solar—the whole gamut,” Larson said.
Larson said he recently dropped off an idea at the offices of Forward Janesville: What if the Janesville General Motors plant were converted to build those massive towers that hold the wind turbines?
Larson said BTC would be happy to step in—just as it did for many GM workers—and train the workers such a plant would require.
Feb 24, 2009 at 5:39 p.m.
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Darwin: Plasma torches are turning waste into glass.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/199...
Feb 24, 2009 at 7:35 a.m.
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Goto www.otherpower.com They show how an individual can build a turbine. No Nuclear Waste? How does that work exactly? It seems if you have an idea that would eliminate nuclear waste that actually worked you would be a billionaire.
Feb 23, 2009 at 4:58 p.m.
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Reality of going green is it takes material to make all those great ideas ie: solar panels,wind generators, HID lighting ballasts and ignitors,boilers, all have to be processed and made from resources. All these items have a life expectancy which leads to more waste. You have to look at the cost of production and all the resources spent. Nuclear is the least cost, greatest gain,over the life span. People fear what they can't understand. Advances have been made with waste in nuclear reactors. There will be no future waste with technology advancing.
Feb 23, 2009 at 4:01 p.m.
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How shall we go GREEN? Just take a really good look at nature and count the many ways. Solar, Wind, Geothermal, EPA Approved Smokeless Wood Burning Heat pumps, BioMass Boilers, Atmospheric Water Generators, Power Factor Conditioners, HID Ligting Controllers and the list just keeps growing each and every week as I scan the internet for new products to add to our already bustling web site.
It is true that the state of WI is seriously hurting for instructors in order to get people trained and then certified by the North American Board of Certified Electrical Practioners(NABCEP) to take on the new challenges that we are now faced with in converting to all of these wonderful renewable energy systems. My partner, a Former GM plant employee in Janesville is all too familiar with the excitement that all of this entails but is very eager to get moving with his training. The problem is that the job services center is not fully up to speed with regards to the programs available with training organizations such as the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) as well as the serious lack in time efficient training to bring certified individuals to the market asap.
Funding through Wisconsins Focus on Energy is readily available if only we had more programs available for people to take advantage of. I hope BTC can do this so that a typical program offered by MREA can actually get people in and out and certified in a month as oppossed to the scattered classes that at present take nearly a year to finish what would only take a month of steady classes to complete. The people, communities and new companies such as ours need workers now and not getting this training made readily available does not address the more immediate need of creating jobs now resolved.
Feb 23, 2009 at 1:56 p.m.
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Nuclear energy is not clean. It persists in the environment for centuries after being depleted. Other E-sources are much cleaner and more viable: solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal are the way to go!
Feb 22, 2009 at 1:10 p.m.
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Go Nuclear in power production. Stop wasting natural gas in power plants. Stop diesel generation back up plants. Create the infrastructure ie: the transmission lines to feed nuclear power more efficiently. Last but not least we need to look at what we have in the U.S. in abundance for natural resources and see what we can do to create a circle of life replenishing what we take vs the land fill mentality we still use. Every thing is recyclable. Let stop only seeing cost and look for viable sustainability.
Feb 22, 2009 at 9:14 a.m.
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I totally agree with beyondgreen!
Feb 22, 2009 at 9:05 a.m.
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If people would have had the vision to take of this in the 1970's when the energy crisis was first recognized this would not have needed to be addressed today. "Going Green" seems to be the new buzzword of the day.
Feb 22, 2009 at 8:02 a.m.
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There could be no better investment in America than to invest in America becoming energy independent! We need to utilize everything in out power to reduce our dependence on foreign oil including using our own natural resources.Create cheap clean energy, new badly needed green jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.The high cost of fuel this past year seriously damaged our economy and society. The cost of fuel effects every facet of consumer goods from production to shipping costs. After a brief reprieve gas is inching back up.OPEC will continue to cut production until they achieve their desired 80-100. per barrel.If all gasoline cars, trucks, and SUV's instead had plug-in electric drive trainsthe amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota.There is a really good new book out by Jeff Wilson called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence Now. http://www.themanhattanprojectof2009.com...
Feb 22, 2009 at 1:47 a.m.
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I have heard that BTC is getting upset with the amount of GM'ers who have enrolled in classes and some special classes made just them, who have quit. I guess you can take the person out of the factory, but you can't take the factory out of the person.
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