Residents invited to wind turbine open house
Visitors can learn more about jobs in the wind energy industry
Mesabi Range Community and Technical College and the University of Minnesota will have an open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 14, at the Eolos Wind Energy Research Field Station at UMore Park in Rosemount to showcase wind energy technologies and careers in the field.
The event will provide opportunities for informal discussion about wind power with faculty and students from Mesabi Range College. Those interested in a career in the wind industry or high school teachers, guidance counselors and students interested in learning more about this growing industry in renewable energy are encouraged to attend.
The Research Field Station is a facility of the University of Minnesota’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory in the College of Science and Engineering. The field station is a key outcome of a U.S. Department of Energy wind energy research grant in 2009. The university’s $7.9 million award, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, supports an academy-industry consortium focused on wind energy research and education activities. The field station features a U.S.-made, 2.5 megawatt Clipper Liberty wind turbine and a 426-foot meteorological research tower. Commissioned in October 2011, the facility is equipped with state-of-the-art instruments and sensors to measure weather conditions, wind speed and turbulence.
Mesabi Range College Wind Energy Technology Program is one of two wind energy technician programs in the state.
Last month, MRCTC completed installation of a Vestas V27 turbine that will be instrumented with nearly identical sensors as the Eolos turbine.
This will allow technician and engineering students to compare and contrast operation and performance of turbines.
More information about the Eolos Wind Energy Research Consortium can be found at www.eolos.umn.edu and information about the Mesabi Range Wind Energy Technology Program can be found at http://mesabi.windenergy.project.mnscu.edu/.
