Renewable Energy in the Classroom

There will soon be more energy in some Canadian college classrooms as the Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) are teaming up to kickstart a world-leading, national training program in Renewable Energy.

Ottawa, Canada – January 29, 2003 [SolarAccess.com] There will soon be more energy in some Canadian college classrooms as the Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) are teaming up to kickstart a world-leading, national training program in Renewable Energy, such as wind, solar, earth and biomass. The Government of Canada is contributing CAN $148,000 (US$ 97,000) to this initiative in 2002-2003. “This innovative program demonstrates our commitment to encouraging the deployment of Renewable Energy technologies,” said Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Natural Resources Canada. “We need a training infrastructure in place as more Canadians choose Renewable Energy technologies to reduce energy costs and to help decrease greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.” The Government identified the increased use of Renewable Energy as an important way to decrease greenhouse gas emissions in its Climate Change Plan for Canada. A national training program would encourage more Canadians to consider careers in the industry, ensuring a greater pool of technologists and technicians trained in the marketing, design, installation and maintenance of Renewable Energy technologies. The initiative could also help position Canadian colleges and institutes as global leaders in the provision of Renewable Energy training. A Renewable Energy training advisory committee, including representatives from colleges and industry, is identifying core competencies and knowledge requirements, researching other programs around the world, and developing a framework for delivering Renewable Energy courses at the college level. NRCan hopes to encourage other key Government of Canada departments to participate in 2003, increasing business, training and innovation possibilities. The ACCC is the national voice of Canadian community colleges and represents 175 member colleges and institutes across Canada. It is dedicated to improving the quality of education in all Canadian communities by promoting effective, outstanding and state-of-the-art vocational training. NRCan promotes the use of Renewable Energy technology through its Renewable Energy Deployment Initiative (REDI), a program established in 1998 to help Canada address climate change. REDI provides funding to strengthen the Renewable Energy industry, promote the use of Renewable Energy systems and create awareness with customers. Funding for this initiative was provided for in the December 2001 budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. This initiative builds on the Government of Canada’s commitment to positioning Canada as a world leader in innovation and learning, and as a magnet for talent and investment.