Grant Launches Renewable Energy Center

A $3 million grant will allow College of the Canyons to establish a renewable energy regional center and to expand training for future technicians in the industry, the Valencia-based community college announced. The grant by the National Science Foundation allows the college to set up the California Regional Consortium for Engineering Advances in Technical Education (CREATE) Renewable Energy Regional Center. The college developed the CREATE consortium in 1996. The grant will also create and expand courses and workforce training programs for renewable energy technicians. Most of the money will be used to create a new curriculum, purchase supplies and equipment, hire new instructors or train current faculty, perform outreach in local middle school and high school classrooms and introduce renewable energy curriculum examples to local teachers. Funding will also be used to develop renewable energy programs and workforce training at the consortium’s several partner colleges and universities. Local partner institutions include Pierce College, Moorpark College and California State University, Channel Islands.