College studies move towards sustainable renewables economy

A report by Ontario colleges suggests that students are becoming more interested in learning for a renewables based profession when they leave college.

The wide spectrum of skills required - from electricians to turbine technicians - has seen 35 new diploma or certificate programs launched in the last 3 years.

The President of Colleges Ontario commented "At the same time, students and faculty are working in applied research - helping companies build their own sustainable platforms".

She continued "This generation is so focused on those interests, a lot don't know exactly where their career is going to lead them but want to make a difference in some profound way".

You can read the full article at IFPress by clicking here.

It's long been feared that one of the key reasons renewable projects might be slow to get off the ground could be due to a shortage of skilled people. In Ontario at least, it looks like they're well on the way to addressing that issue.

I wonder if it's a similar picture in the UK (and wider Europe)?

photo credit: beverly

Oh Blimey! Now Wind farms could be bad for the environment

It's an ill wind that blows....(or something like that).

Just as we're all getting used to the idea of wind turbines stretching out to sea as far as the eye can see, comes this scientific report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (as reported on USA Today).

The first study of its kind has revealed that offshore wind farms affect the temperature on the land, but not in the way you might be thinking.

The study showed that during the daytime, the land temperature dropped from 100 degrees upwind to 93degrees downwind, however, during the night, land temperatures increased.

The authors of the report theorise that the turbulence caused by the blades enhance's vertical mixing of warm and cold air.

Now they're calling for more studies as they believe land based wind turbines could have consequences for crop production, although they stress that there are enough large tracts of land in the United States where large wind farms would have little impact on the local environment.

It's interesting stuff - not least because the UK is being touted as the most idyllic spot for off-shore wind farms. After all, let's face it, the British climate is fickle enough already.

Read the full report on USA Today by clicking here.

photo credit: mike lewis