Colby Community College Colby, KS colbycc/

1. Colby Community CollegeColby, KSwww.colbycc.edu/

3. Course Criteria • Strong Job Growth • Internship Potential • Geographic Ties • Economic Development Potential • Enrollment Potential

4. “We are researching courses/programs which target energy efficiency and renewable energy-we believe now is an excellent time for community colleges to market and promote these industries.”

5. Timing • Approached “OKTI” Threshold • Rural America Receptive

6. Approach “OKTI” Threshold • Americans’ concern over rising energy prices • Energy Information Administration • Short-Term Energy Outlook, September 9, 2008 • “Heating fuel expenditures for the average household using oil as its primary heating fuel are expected to increase by $585 (30 percent) over last winter. The corresponding average expenditure increases for households heated with natural gas and propane are $162 (19 percent) and $217 (13 percent), respectively.” • Americans’ concern foreign government dependence • United Nations Foundation Poll • “American’s concern over ‘dependence on foreign oil’ up 34% over 1 year ago”

7. OK-THAT’S IT!

10. Rural America • Losing population • “Brain drain” • School consolidations

11. Focus on Rural Development • Kansas • Division of Rural Development (9/4/2008) • Ag Marketing Division • Community Development Division • Office of Rural Opportunity

12. Economic Benefits Wind Energy • “According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), the American market for wind power grew by 45 % in 2007, injecting over USD 9 billion into the economy. AWEA expects the growth figures for 2008 to top the figures of 2007.” • The US Department of Energy’s Wind Power America program expects wind power to add $60 billion in capital investment, $1.2 billion in new income, and create 80,000 permanent jobs by 2020.

14. Rural Economic Benefits • Lincoln County • $5 million over 10 years • Remodel hospital • Summers Township • $80,000 budget • Grader replacement • Significant impact

15. Colorado Wind Energy Emphasis • Colorado Springs Gazette 3/31/2008 • “Colorado Springs Utilities will seek proposals in April for up to 100 times the amount of wind power it now buys, ramping up its presence in an exploding industry as some of its customers clamor for it to be more Earth-friendly.” • “The city’s most recent poll showed 76 % of residential customers surveyed are willing to pay $1 to $2 more a month to support wind. That’s the estimated financial impact of using 50 megawatts of wind, which translates to 3.3 % of the city’s energy needs per year.” • A 2007 report by Denver based Environment Colorado estimates that increasing the amount of energy generated from renewable sources such as the wind by 2020 could increase rural property owners’ lease revenues by $50 million and generate an additional $400 million in property taxes for rural areas statewide.”

16. Student Career Potential • Wind Energy Technicians • LJWorld.com • “Wind power generates new job opportunities” 7/28/2008 • Bismarck, N.D. — With wind turbine towers popping up on the U.S. landscape at a rate of almost 10 per day, the need for people to maintain and repair them is reaching the critical point. • “The demand (for wind technicians) is such that some (colleges) have been trying to keep companies away from the program because they want everybody to graduate first,” said Christine Real de Azua, a spokeswoman for the American Wind Energy Association. “In some cases, students are being picked up after only a couple of months.” • Iowa Lakes Community College, a five-campus school based in Estherville, started a wind tech training program in 2004 after Al Zeitz was hired away from General Electric Co. He came in to provide expertise for a wind turbine to help the college reduce energy costs. • “These are good-paying jobs with a lot of upside potential,” he said, estimating the starting annual salary for a typical wind technician job at between $35,000 and $40,000. • Zeitz said, “it is not uncommon for students in his program to get three or four job offers apiece…. employers are coming to us saying, ‘We want to hire 50 people this summer. We want to hire 100 people this summer,’” he said. “It’s definitely a big challenge for the industry right now.”

17. Student Career Potential • Energy Management Technician • Develop accurate and detailed data analyses through the evaluation of system performance by gathering energy information on heating, water heating, weatherization, appliances, lighting, and plug load systems in residential homes for the purpose of educating customers regarding their energy choices, including usage and energy efficiency methods. • $35,000-$40,000/yr

19. “There is no such thing as a self-made man or woman. You will reach your goals only with the help of others.”

20. Teamwork/Partnering • Midwest Energy • Brian Dreiling • October • Kansas Building Science Institute • Doug Walters-set class in spring at CCC for Home Energy Rater Certification training • Colby K-12 • Local Energy Advisory Group • Business Owners engaged in renewable energy • Geo-thermal • Wind

21. “In the long history of humankind...those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed” -Charles Darwin

22. Teamwork/Partnering • Multi-County Collaborative • Dan Hartman, ED Logan County • Regional Coalition of 19 counties Northwest Kansas • Promotion wind energy • Wind energy-”atomic glue” • Americans independent and competitive by nature-sometimes hard to get together

23. “Where there is an open window there exists limitless opportunity.”