MATC RECEIVES FUNDING TO START SOLAR PANEL TESTING
FACILITY
Madison Area Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison
have been awarded $20,000 by the Focus on Energy program to construct
a solar collector testing facility at MATC – only the second
of its kind in the U.S. When fully operational, the testing lab
would join the University of Central Florida’s Solar Energy
Center as the only facilities in the country authorized to certify
solar panels, which qualifies the homeowners who install them for
tax credits and rebates.
Governor Jim Doyle made the announcement during a news conference
Monday at MATC’s main Truax location in Madison. The initial
$20,000 will fund start-up costs for development of the Northern
Solar Testing and Certification Facility. The governor also is
proposing an additional $100,000 in the next state budget for the
MATC testing lab, whose permanent location is yet to be determined.
The new testing site, which is being designed and built in consultation
with the University of Wisconsin Solar Energy Lab, will help reduce
a certification backlog in Wisconsin and nationwide, providing
a boost to Wisconsin manufacturers of solar hot water and space
heating products.
“This opportunity to collaborate with UW-Madison and the
growth of an emerging industry in Wisconsin is a win-win proposition,” says
MATC Industrial Maintenance Program instructor Tom Kaminski. “The
excellent research that the UW Solar Lab performs will be enhanced
by our students who know how to construct, install, operate and
maintain complicated thermodynamic systems. Using real-world relevant
projects to learn real-world skills brings out the best in our
students.”
Bill Beckman, director of the UW Solar Energy Lab and emeritus
professor of mechanical engineering, calls the governor’s
announcement an exciting development for solar energy in Wisconsin. “The
potential for solar energy use in Wisconsin is significant and
has been overlooked for too long. The development of this facility
will mean Wisconsin manufacturers can have their solar collectors
tested and certified under Wisconsin conditions. Since this
will be only the second such facility in the U.S. the delay in
obtaining certification of Wisconsin products will be greatly reduced.”
Ken Walz, MATC’s director of renewable energy technology,
adds: “This partnership between MATC and the UW Solar Energy
Lab builds on the strengths of both institutions. Instructors and
students from MATC’s technical programs will work together
with those from the UW College of Engineering to advance innovative
solutions to Wisconsin’s energy challenges.”
Focus on Energy, which is providing the start-up funding, is a
public-private partnership offering energy information and services
to residential, business, and industrial customers throughout Wisconsin.
Its services are delivered by firms contracted by the Wisconsin
Department of Administration's Division of Energy. Its goals are
to encourage energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy,
enhance the environment and ensure Wisconsin’s future energy
supply.
MATC is one of the largest of the Wisconsin Technical College
System’s 16 colleges. It provides “real world smart” education
through a comprehensive curriculum of technical, liberal arts and
science, adult basic education and life enrichment studies and
activities, as well as customized employee training. MATC offers
associate degrees, vocational diplomas and certificates, and non-degree
courses in more than 140 programs of study. The college serves
parts of 12 counties located in southcentral Wisconsin and offers
instruction through five campuses and numerous community locations
throughout the district.
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Last
Modified:
September 27, 2006
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