Energy Department Gives $30 Million in Grants to Train Engineering Students
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) last week awarded $30 million in grants to 24 universities across the nation to train undergraduate and graduate engineering students in industrial energy efficiency.
The DOEs Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy will provide each school from $200,000 to $300,000 a year for up to five years to educate students on core concepts of the departments Industrial Assessment Center program. Students will use the training to conduct energy audits and recommend energy efficiency improvements at a wide range of industrial facilities. Students will also participate in reporting, tracking, implementation, and management-improvement.
The program will enable engineering students to learn skills, gain experience and prepare for the job market after graduation by helping local companies cut energy use and reduce utility bill costs.
Under the program, each school will be expected to train from 10 to 15 students and conduct 20 energy assessments a year. Additionally, the schools will promote interaction between students and the private sector that is expected to result in internship and scholarship opportunities.
Sources
UW-Milwaukee Wins $1.5M Grant for Energy Efficiency Training, Milwaukee Business Journal, Sept. 13, 2011.
Saving Energy, University of Dayton press release, Sept. 15, 2011.
UK: Power and Energy Institute Receives $1.5 Million for Education in Industrial Energy Efficiency, The Lane Report, Sept. 15, 2011.