Upcoming Teacher Workshop Will Provide Wind Energy Curriculum

Teachers interested in wind energy curriculum can learn more about the technology of wind at an upcoming free teacher training being conducted by the Illinois Wind for Schools program (ILWFS).

According to coordinators, the workshop will "present a background of the energy and wind energy industries, wind energy fundamental principles and curriculum and methods for integrating energy and wind energy materials into the classroom."

From an announcement from ILWFS: 

Illinois Wind for Schools Team would like to invite you to the first-ever statewide Illinois Wind for Schools workshop, to be held on June 14^th, 2012.  The workshop is free of charge and will be held on the Illinois State University campus in Normal, IL.  CPDUs will be offered to all participants and lunch will be provided.

 The workshop will be held from 9 AM – 3:30 PM in the State Farm Hall of Business Building, Room 430.  At this workshop the Illinois Wind for Schools Team will present a background of the energy and wind energy industries, wind energy fundamental principles, and lesson plans and methods for integrating energy and wind energy materials into the classroom.

Please click here to register online for the statewide Illinois Wind for Schools workshop.

Workshop agenda:

9:00 – 9:15           Introduction and Welcome

9:15 – 10:15         Energy and Wind Energy Background

10:15 – 10:30       Break

10:30 – 11:30       Fundamentals of Wind Energy

11:30 – 12:30       Lunch (provided)

12:30 – 1:30         How does a Wind Turbine Work?

1:30 – 2:00           Energy and Wind Energy Lesson Plans

2:00 – 2:15           Break

2:15 – 3:30           How to implement energy and wind energy curricula

For more information about the Illinois Wind for Schools program, please visit our website at www.ilwfs.org.

The program addresses Illinois Learning Standards Goals 7 and 10 in Mathematics (Estimation and Measurement; Data Analysis and Probability), and Goals 11, 12 and 13 in Science (Inquiry and Design; Concepts and Principles; Science, Technology and Society).

The Week's News Roundup

Across the state, this was a busy week for wind power in Illinois. Here's a roundup of the stories we missed:

Six Illinois schools to participate in "Wind for Schools" Program - Press Release from WIU

Six middle and senior high schools have been selected from a statewide application process to participate in Illinois Wind for Schools (ILWFS), a program jointly administered by the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) at Western Illinois University and the Center for Renewable Energy at Illinois State University.

According to IIRA Wind Energy Program Coordinator Jolene Willis, the 2012-2013 ILWFS partner schools include Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, Chicago Public Schools #299, Cook County; Southwestern Middle and High School, Southwestern Community Unit School District (CUSD) #9, Macoupin County; Riverview Grade School, Riverview Community Consolidated School District (CCSD) #2, Woodford County; Galva High School, Galva School District #224, Henry County; Astoria Junior High School, Astoria CUSD #1, Fulton County; and Plano High School, Plano CUSD #88, Kendall County.

Willis noted the ILWFS program incorporates wind energy topics into the classroom through on-site training workshops at each partner school; customized curricula and lesson plans; and lab equipment for hands-on activities. Continuing professional development units (CPDUs) are offered for all required teacher-training sessions, she said. According to Matt Aldeman, senior energy analyst for the Center for Renewable Energy at Illinois State University, the program's purpose is to engage Illinois school teachers and students in energy education, specifically targeting wind energy.

Village of Rankin votes to ban turbines within 1.5 miles of town - story from the News Gazette

The village board has passed an ordinance to regulate the construction of wind turbines on farmland immediately outside Rankin's corporate limits.

The ordinance, approved 6-0 last Thursday, amends Rankin's zoning code to give the village regulatory authority over commercial and private wind turbines within 1 1/2 miles of the town.[...]

But board members stressed that the new ordinance does not necessarily ban all turbines within 1 1/2 miles of Rankin. Developers or homeowners could still seek permission from the village to build turbines within that area, trustees noted.

However, during a public hearing held prior to adoption of the ordinance, Butler Township officials expressed concern that some developers might not look to build wind farms in Butler Township if Rankin issues an ordinance that appears to express an opinion against such development.[...]

Butler Township officials are hopeful a wind farm comes to the township. Such development would bring new property tax revenue to Butler Township that could be used to repair roads and bridges, for example.

At the board's February meeting, Butler Township Supervisor Dave Anderson noted the township's tax base is less than $12 million, but each wind turbine built would add $228,000 to that.

Without increasing the township's tax base, the burden on taxpayers is expected to continue to rise, Anderson said Thursday. Anderson said the township's population has fallen from 1,164 people in 2000 to 992 in 2010.

"We still are collecting the same amount of taxes," but the amount is spread among fewer taxpayers.

Butler Township road commissioner Marvin Rumble urged the village to help the township keep its taxes low by supporting wind-farm growth. Rumble noted that the township has done road work within village limits in recent years because Rankin did not have enough funds available.

"I don't know of any other way," Rumble said. "If you can find a factory or anything else to come in here, I'll support it."

Heartland Community College building on-site wind tubine - story from the Pantagraph

Heartland Community College... now it has its own wind turbine.

It will be about mid-June before the turbine begins delivery of electricity for Heartland to use. But, once it’s in full operation, college officials expect it to generate about half of the 9.2 million kilowatt hours of electricity the college uses annually.

That would be a savings of $320,000 a year, based on the college’s bill in the last fiscal year.

Gamesa seeks clarification from Woodford Co Board - story from the Peoria Journal-Star

Construction on the Minonk Wind Farm is scheduled to begin in less than two weeks, but there is one more thing developers want done as soon as possible.

Attorneys for the major investors want reassurance that recent changes in the county’s zoning ordinance concerning longer setbacks, more restrictions on shadow flicker and other factors will not affect the Minonk project. And they want it in writing, as a text amendment to the county ordinance.

When approached about the guarantee requested by wind farm developer Gamesa, the Woodford County Board was ready to vote on a resolution at its March 22 meeting clarifying the fact that the Minonk Wind Farm would fall under the ordinance in effect prior to Feb. 27 changes. Special use permits for the wind farm were issued prior to those changes. [...]

After a complicated discussion, the committee finally voted on the issue, approving it 3-2, with Rocke, Cremeens and Duane Kingdon voting yes and Huser and Tom Evans voting no.

The text amendment now moves to the Zoning Board of Appeals for review and recommendation to the full county board. The ZBA will likely hold a special meeting to discuss the matter rather than waiting until its regular meeting at the end of April.

Livingston Co School to Build New Classrooms Thanks to Wind Farm

Many are familiar with the difficulties now facing Illinois school districts. Late state payments, pension reform talks, plummeting tax base...there are definitely some tough times ahead.

But one Illinois school is expanding, building new classrooms and other facilities at a time when other schools are cutting programs. Why? Thank the Cayuga Ridge wind farm, which is pumping millions in new property tax revenue into the rural district of Odell. 

According to a story in the Pontiac Daily Leader:

Odell Grade School is constructing a new addition, which will begin within a month and should be completed in time for the new school year in August.

School Superintendent Mark Hettmansberger said at a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday afternoon that the $1.2 million, 5,500-square foot addition would include a new special needs classroom and new band room. A second project of $400,000 will see energy upgrades throughout the school.

“We are going to add on one classroom, a band room, two offices, a concession stand and an entry into the gymnasium,” the superintendent said about the building addition. The project will also encompass new bathroom facilities.[...]

Hettmansberger said the school didn’t have to do any special fundraising for these projects, since money was available from other sources.

“Most of the money we’re using for this will be from the wind farms. We’ll also be using money from our cash reserves. Our board has done an excellent job of being responsible with the money and building up reserves in the past. We will be issuing some debt certificates. It will actually be a very small amount of debt we’ll be taking on with this project,” he said.

School board member Mark Johnson added, “This project has no impact on the taxes on the residents of the village. It (the tax rate) will actually go down.”

Hettmansberger said the debt would be paid off within four years with more money generated from the wind farms.

“We’re just really excited about it and we’re ready for the building to get started,” he said.

Illinois Wind For Schools Program To Seek Applications This Month

From a press release from Western Illinois University and Illinois State University:

MACOMB/NORMAL, IL - A new program designed to incorporate wind energy topics into middle and high school classrooms is slated to begin during the 2012-2013 school year. Illinois Wind for Schools (ILWFS) - an initiative sponsored through a partnership with the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) at Western Illinois University, the Western Illinois University Department of Engineering Technology, the Center for Renewable Energy at Illinois State University, and the College of Education at Illinois State University - will offer curriculum development resources, teacher professional development, on-site technical assistance and instructional equipment to middle school and high school teachers across the state.

All training, curriculum and equipment will be offered at no charge to schools selected for the program, made possible through Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) grant funding.

IIRA Wind Energy Program Coordinator Jolene Willis noted the ILWFS program addresses specific Illinois Learning Standards goals in mathematics, including estimation and measurement, as well as data analysis and probability.

"It also encompasses specific science goals that include inquiry and design; concepts and principles; and science, technology and society," explained Willis. "Participating teachers will be required to attend the on-site workshop and maintain communication with Illinois Wind for Schools staff, providing evaluation and feedback of the lab activities, curriculum and equipment throughout the 2012-13 school year," she added.

Matt Aldeman, senior energy analyst for the Center for Renewable Energy at Illinois State University, said the program's purpose is to engage Illinois teachers and students in energy education, specifically targeting wind energy.

"We hope to educate students about wind energy principles, and position the next generation of career and technical professionals to enter the growing U.S. wind industry. We will also be able to provide technical assistance to Illinois school administrators about renewable energy integration in school facilities," Aldeman said.

According to Willis and Aldeman, through an application process, three to five middle and/or high schools will be selected as ILWFS partner schools for each school year. The ILWFS program includes on-site training workshops at each partner school for all participating teachers, curricula and lesson plans, equipment for hands-on activities and basic supplies. Continuing professional development units (CPDUs) will also be offered for all teacher-training sessions, which are required to participate in this program.

Willis noted the program will begin with an early summer 2012 teacher workshop held on site at each partner school. Topics of the workshop will include fundamentals of wind energy, principles of wind turbine operation and ideas for integrating wind energy into the existing curriculum. During summer 2012, all participating schools will receive a classroom set of experimental model wind turbines, equipment with which to build and test the model wind turbines, a pack of experimental weather balloons, a model wind tunnel and customized lab activities and a comprehensive wind energy curriculum, she added.

Aldeman said the wind energy curriculum will focus on lesson plans in five distinct areas including: energy and electricity; wind and weather; turbines and engineering; environmental considerations; and economics. In the fall of 2012, the ILWFS staff will install scientific weather instrumentation on the school grounds at each partner school. Teachers and students will then be able to easily access data collected by the weather instrumentation using any Internet connection. Wind energy lessons will be integrated into the existing curriculum at teachers' discretion throughout the school year, and the program will conclude in spring 2013.

The ILWFS staff is currently working with three schools in a pilot phase: Ridgeview Community Unit School District (CUSD) #19 located in Colfax (IL), Elmwood (IL) CUSD #322 and Fulton County CUSD #3 in Cuba (IL). A weather station has already been installed at each pilot phase location, and curriculum workshops have been provided for teachers, Aldeman added.

"I am so impressed with how it encompasses biology, physics, chemistry and so many other fields," said Roger Alvey, superintendent at Elmwood CUSD #322 and a former science teacher. "It has relevance to everyday life, and it is hands-on learning."

Willis said that middle school and high school teachers in Illinois public school districts who are excited to teach project-based learning curriculum and have an interest in cross-curriculum implementation are encouraged to apply by Thursday, March 1. Eligible disciplines include math, science, agriculture, industrial technology, engineering and related subject disciplines.

Applications and guidelines will be available later this month at the Illinois Wind for Schools website at www.ILWFS.org. Schools selected for the program will be notified by April 2.

For more information, contact Willis at (309) 298-2835 or Aldeman at (309) 438-1440.

Illinois Central School District Installs Small Educational Wind Turbine

From an article in the Lincoln Courier:

The Illini Central School District became a state leader in wind energy education last week when it commissioned a 70-foot wind turbine at its Mason City campus.

The turbine, called the Skystream 3.7™ and produced by Flagstaff, Ariz.-based Southwest Wind- power, is capable of producing 400 kilowatt hours a month in 12 mph average winds and will help power the school’s science facilities.

Although the turbine will provide only a portion of the facility’s energy requirements, it will serve as a public education demonstration sight for the new technology.

A website and smart phone widgets will be available on the school’s website soon, and will show real-time statistics about what the mini-turbine is producing.

The turbine’s installation is part of a national Wind for Schools education program, where local K-12 school districts adopt small-scale renewable energy technologies to showcase education with live demonstrations.

“This is a huge step forward in wind energy education in the state of Illinois,” said John Maxson, a Mason City alderman and Illini Central’s transportation director.

“We are a pioneer and leader in wind farm development,” Maxson added. “Now, students will have a hands-on tool to see exactly how wind energy works, right outside their windows at the school. This is the first school to install a residential scale turbine under the new Illinois Clean Energy Foundation’s Wind for Schools program.”

Angel Wind Energy Inc., of Onarga, in conjunction with Renken Electric, performed the installation.

Distrtict residents can soon keep tabs on the new installation and the amount of electricity it’s producing at www.illinicentral.org

Schools Wind Consortium Likely to Finalize Deal With Invenergy Soon

A coalition of suburban Chicago schools is poised to sign a power-purchase agreement with Invenergy that is projected to save the schools millions in electric bills over the next 20 years and open up a new market opportunity for the Chicago-based company.

The consortium, consisting of Community Unit District 300, Keeneyville Elementary District 20 and Prospect Heights District 23, had been exploring building a wind farm at a remote location in northern Illinois for several years, in conjunction with startup developer Heston Wind. The schools even worked with lawmakers to pass a new state law in 2010 that allows school districts to sell bonds to fund the construction of such a project

But for several reasons, the project has yet to move forward. Now this agreement with Invenergy seems like a workable alternative, providing the schools stable power costs without the risks of owning the project. The agreement could also portend a new offtake market for wind developers seeking to build wind projects, but unable to tap the RES market in Illinois or others states.

An article in the Northwest Herald discusses some of the details of the proposed agreement:

The school board is set to vote on the proposal at its Oct. 24 meeting. At Monday’s board meeting, the latest proposal by the School Wind Consortium Agency received tentative approval.

Officials have until December to finalize terms with Chicago-based firm Invenergy LLC for the wind energy purchase agreement.[...]

The power purchase agreement will be set at a fixed price for the next 20 years. District 300 projects to save taxpayers $7 million over the life of the agreement.

According to the tentative agreement, the consortium would buy the generated power at $56.80 per megawatt hour.

Officials anticipate saving $7 million over the course of 20 years based on a 3 percent annual rate of escalation for energy, said David Ulm, district supervisor of facilities and energy management.

“The concept is to sell energy to customers at market value,” Ulm said. “We’re banking on that in 20 years electricity is going to be a heck of lot more than $56.80 [per megawatt hour].”

Initially, consortium officials were considering a plan to own and operate a wind turbine farm to generate wind energy and revenue from selling the power. The property would have been located in Stark County. The original aim was to own, finance and operate a wind turbine facility to generate and deliver power from renewable energy resources. 

However, over the summer, the consortium was unable to issue revenue bonds as an investment means.

“We couldn’t find a financial model to build and own it without having to use some kind of public funding,” Ulm said.

Later, Invenergy LLC proposed building an addition to its existing 270-megawatt wind farm in Bishop Hill in Henry County. The design and building process would take 12 months.

“It’s not a bad alternative. Am I disappointed we can’t own a wind farm? Sure, we’ve been working on it for two years,” Ulm said. “But it’s absolutely a win for us. It’s absolutely wonderful for our taxpayers, our students and our bottom line.”

The consortium simply is buying the power the wind turbines produce at the Bishop Hill wind farm.

School leaders also see the potential for new educational opportunities for environmental science classrooms.

New Illinois "Wind for Schools" Program to Teach the Science of Wind Energy

From an article in Farm Week:

Students at three rural Illinois schools are using the weather to apply principles of physics, chemistry, biology, and math through a pilot program known as Wind for Schools.

“This (program) is a great opportunity,” said Superintendent Roger Alvey, whose Elmwood School District is pilot testing Wind for Schools.

“I am so impressed at how it encompasses biology, physics, chemistry, and so many fields. It has relevance to every day life and it’s hands on,” said Alvey, a former science teacher.

Wind for Schools is being developed and administered by the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) at Western Illinois University and the Center for Renewable Energy and College of Education at Illinois State University (ISU). The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is funding the program with a two-year grant.
 
In addition to the Elmwood district, the other participating schools are Fulton County School District, Cuba, and Ridgeview School District, Colfax. Recently, a weather station was installed on a school building in each district and curriculum workshops were provided for teachers.

“The whole point is for Illinois site-specific data to be integrated into the curriculum,” said Jolene Willis, IIRA wind energy program coordinator. “We’re excited about this initiative to integrate wind energy into science curriculum. Wind energy is a growing part of Illinois’ economy.”

Through the program, students are collect real wind and weather data and then incorporate that information into classroom lessons, experiments, and projects. The curriculum has been designed to fulfill relevant state learning goals.

Material also will encompass STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematic) goals, according to Alvey.

Wind for Schools also fits with the state’s education goal to develop career-based learning about industry sectors. The goal is for schools to implement curriculum that builds upon concepts introduced in early grades all the way through college degree programs.

An introduction of energy concepts to young students is ideal for college programs, such as ISU’s renewable energy undergraduate program, according to David Loomis, director the ISU Center for Renewable Energy. High school students who understand those concepts will be prepared for more advanced college-level classes, Loomis noted.

“Students need to understand plain, old energy concepts. Then you marry it (Wind for Schools) with wind concepts and all the wind and weather data,” Loomis said.

Wind for Schools’ materials are based on curriculum from the National Energy Education Development Project, which has a website at www.need.org. The model turbine kits are from the Kid Wind Project, which has a website at www.kidwind.org.

After the pilot program is assessed, a formal application for districts will be finalized for the 2012-13 school year. “We estimate conservatively three to five schools will be selected to participate,” Willis said.

However, the long-term future of Wind for Schools hinges on a sustainable funding for the program after the two-year grant ends. “We’re continuously looking for sustainable funding,” Willis added.

More information about Wind for Schools is available by contacting IIRA’s Fred Iutzi and Loomis at the Renewable Energy Center.