National wind energy expert teaches five-day workshop at Morrisville State College's Renewable Energy Training Center

Morrisville State College's Renewable Energy Training Center (RETC) is hosting a five-day workshop on the Fundamentals of Wind Systems and Wind Site Assessor Training, July 18-22, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the RETC, Room 104B in Shannon Hall.



The 40-hour workshop, taught by national wind energy expert, Mick Sagrillo, focuses on both site assessment and small wind system (defined as up to 100 kW in capacity) installation considerations for professionals in the industry and those looking to enter the small wind job market.



The first day of the workshop will focus on the fundamentals of wind systems including basic concepts, terminology, and an overview of small wind systems. The rest will cover wind site assessor training and will guide participants through the background information required to perform residential, farm, school, and small commercial wind site assessments.



During the workshop, participants will learn how to perform a basic analysis of the client's energy needs, evaluate a site's wind energy potential and determine wind speed at the proposed tower height, estimate energy output for proposed systems, create a general cost estimate for the system, and provide a checklist of steps in system installation, including permitting, utility interface, insurance, potential dealers or installers, and funding opportunities.



This workshop satisfies up to 40 hours of the training requirements for the NABCEP Small Wind Installer Job Task Analysis and Small Wind Site Assessment Job Task Analysis. An outline of topics can be found online at http://people.morrisville.edu/~ballarbd/Downloads/SmallWindOutline.pdf. Participants must complete all five days to receive a certificate.



Instructor Mick Sagrillo has more than 30 years of experience in the small wind industry, from project planning, installation, service and repair to education, curriculum development, and consulting. He has written extensively for Home Power Magazine, the American Wind Energy Association's Windletter, the American Solar Energy Society's Solar Today magazine, and various publications. He also teaches wind energy and installation workshops around the country for a variety of renewable energy organizations in addition to consulting nationally and internationally.



The cost of the workshop is $900 or $45 for those who qualify for a scholarship provided through the Department of Labor (DOL) Community Based Job Training Grants (CBJTG) funding (eligibility verification is required).



For more information, scholarship details or to register, call 315-684-6391 or visit retc.morrisville.edu.



Morrisville State College's RETC is a multi-county alliance of employers, training providers, economic development partners and K-12 schools to address the long- and short-term needs of New York state's high-growth, high-demand renewable energy sector. It is funded in part, by a grant under the President's Community-Based Job Training Grant Initiative administered by the United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration.