LWC and UK join WIND forces to gather data for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

What an exciting project! LWC's Energy Technology Career Academy has joined forces with the University of Kentucky to collect some REAL WIND DATA for South-Central Kentucky! We're tired of everyone saying there's no wind in Kentucky (except for in the far eastern parts!). Maybe they're right, but we want the data to speak, not someone at a desk in Colorado!



Doug Keaton, NEED Project National Curriculum Specialist (sorry if this is the wrong title...I hardly ever guess right! but it's close) came down to bring us the anemometer personally! This was a great treat because he got to visit both my RCHS and ACHS Academy members and talk with them extensively about energy and the opportunities available to them! Doug is a barrel of fun and the students absolutely love him! He seems to reach students like no one else can...his real world experiences, his "this is how it is" personality, and his willingness to explain and converse with the students makes him a definite hit!! We are lucky to have Doug on our side, so to speak!

So, back to the anemometer!! We are going to name the anemometer "Windy"! One of the students came up with her name. It is very appropriate, don't you think? We hope to launch a "Where's Windy?" campaign in the local papers in both Adair and Russell counties, and of course this blog. I also hope to create a Facebook Fanpage so it's easy for people to socially network with ETCA. We will be moving the anemometer every 10-14 days, and sending the collected data to Frankfort, University of Kentucky, and it will be sent onto NREL. We have a map of the counties, and will be making sure we get a good disbursement of data across both counties. So, be on the lookout for Windy in and around Adair and Russell counties. There will be a banner posted in front of the anemometer, so hopefully it will be easy to spot!! Next location: Joy Arnold's house on HWY 768 past Gradyville!

Reduce!Recycle!Reuse!
Heather

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Snow! Snow! Snow!...has put a damper on some project progression

Hello Everyone! It has been a while since my last post; so, sorry about that! However, things have been really busy for the Energy Technology Career Academy! We have yet another project that I am so excited about! Recently, at a Christmas play, my dad (of all people) introduced me to an extraordinary man named Ronald. He is from Uganda. He is a LWC graduate and will be going back to Uganda on January 31st of this year. His family came over to the States to watch his graduation and literally did not believe that he received 3 meals a day until they saw it with their own eyes! Ronald and his family will be starting a ministry in Uganda (he received a Christian Ministries degree from LWC). As I was talking with Ronald, I asked him about electricity availability in Uganda and he quickly told me that they would have no electricity. All reading, studying, etc., must be done by fire. Well, if you know me by now, my wheels began turning! I remembered the two solar panels that my Intro to Engineering class made last year (the ones for under $100 that helped us win NEED National Rookie of the Year). Wouldn't it be awesome if LWC's Energy Academy supplied solar panels to an LWC graduate on the other side of the world? If we helped light a village in Uganda so that people may hear the Good News? So that children could go to school again because they could study at night by light and still work in the daylight hours? WOW!!! How powerful (no pun intended!)

I was supposed to pick up Ronald on Friday at lunch and bring him to ACHS to meet some of the Academy students, but SNOW happened! We will reschedule for later this coming week! I want the students to meet Ronald personally so that they have that deep connection that will help them realize the full potential of their skills...especially in third-world countries! Of course, I will have pictures to post later and will hopefully get some good press for the Academy as we pursue this wonderful journey to Uganda!
Stay Warm!!! Heather