The Future Looks Bright: New Solar Array Boosts Sustainable Efforts at CVTC

A recent donation to Chippewa Valley Technical College shines a bright light on the college’s efforts to educate students about renewable energy.

Solar energy – as well as geothermal and wind energy – was already part of the curriculum for students in CVTC’s Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) program. Now, these students have even more opportunities for hands-on education thanks to an 80-kilowatt photovoltaic system that was installed recently at CVTC’s Energy Education Center, 4000 Campus Road, Eau Claire.

Jake Geissler, an instructor in the HVACR program, said the system will help students learn about different types of solar panels, as well as the racking needed to install them, the inverters that make their power usable, and battery technology. “Solar is in its infancy,” said Geissler, himself a CVTC graduate. “I think it’s going to explode. I think there’s going to be a ton of job opportunities for these students in renewable energy.”

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