Madison tech college gets grant to bolster renewable energy education

Madison, Wis. - Madison Area Technical College is launching a major effort to improve the teaching of renewable energy technologies in technical colleges and high schools. The initiative will feature new online courses, interactive learning tools and other resources to better prepare qualified technicians to work in the fast growing renewable energy industry.

A $500,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant - the second such grant MATC has announced in the past month - will fund the "Partnerships in Educational Resources for Renewable Energy Technologies" project.

Under the grant, MATC with other college partners will develop online courses that two-year colleges and high schools can use to revitalize existing programs. The courses will include renewable energy, energy management, alternative transportation, photovoltaic, solar home design, wind power, and biomass. MATC will also create a series of cutting edge, web-based, interactive "learning objects" that give students virtual access to renewable energy technologies.