Abstract

Wind for Schools: 

A National Data and Curricula Development Activity for Schools

I. Baring-Gould • National Renewable Energy Laboratory • Golden, Colorado

As the United States dramatically expands wind 

energy deployment, the industry is challenged with 

developing a skilled workforce and addressing 

public resistance. Wind Powering America’s Wind 

for Schools project addresses these issues by: 

• Developing Wind Application Centers (WACs) 

at universities; WAC students assist in 

implementing school wind turbines and 

participate in wind courses 

• Installing small wind turbines at community 

“host” schools

Objectives

• Implementing teacher training with interactive 

curricula at each host school.

The Wind for Schools project goals are to:

• Equip college juniors and seniors with an education in wind energy applications

• Engage America communities in wind energy applications, benefits, and challenges

Students at Idaho’s Pocatello Community Charter 

School participated in a Wind for Schools project. 

PIX16749/Billie Johnson.

Wind for Schools Project Team • Introduce teachers and students to wind energy. Wind for Schools Project Team

Wind Application Center (WAC): The WACs are formed at universities in each participating 

state to train engineering students in wind applications analysis and deployment. WAC students 

gain valuable experience by providing technical assistance to school installations.

State facilitator: Assists the development of Wind for Schools projects in each state by 

identifying candidate K-12 schools and working with the community, teachers, school 

administration, local utility, and the WAC to implement the school wind project.

Host school, science teacher, school administration, and community: A Wind for Schools 

host school owns the small wind turbine, assists in its installation, and implements a wind 

energy educational curricula. The host school also provides land for the project, 

interconnection, facilities, and nominal financial support and agrees to make data from the 

Conclusions

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turbine public. 

Wind Powering America/National Renewable Energy Laboratory/U.S. Department of 

Energy: Provide technical and financial assistance to the WAC and facilitator over the first few 

years of the project in each state to help implement the activity. Provide wind measurement 

equipment to assess potential school sites and assist in curricula development at the university 

and K-12 levels.

Community: The community (including the local utility and business groups) assists in project 

development, funding, and implementation.

State government: Provides funding support for the wind turbines. 

Results

• Active programs in 11 states (AK, 

AZ, CO, ID, KS, MT, NE, NC, PA, 

SD, and VA)

• At the university level, more than 

60 students graduated in 2010

• Turbines installed in more than 50 

schools

• Teacher-training programs 

( )

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In 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy issued a report describing a 20% wind energy future by 

2030. The report noted that 500,000 new jobs would be created, including:

• 5,000 construction

• 2,200 manufacturing

• 6,500 indirect positions.

The Wind for Schools project focuses on K-12 and university educators and students, countering 

the trend of reduced numbers of U.S. students entering science fields. Studies indicate that if 

women and minority students are not interested in math by the 6th grade they are unlikely to pursue

Methods

References

• Build in-state capacity to provide technical assistance for community projects

• Develop college-level wind energy programs, incorporating wind curricula and small turbine 

installations at community schools

• Work with the American Wind Energy Association, the NEED Project, and others on K-12 curricula 

to incorporate wind energy education into the classroom

• Use a low-cost replicable system for installation at host K-12 schools

implemented in participating 

states

• Strong interest in many other 

states

• Defined affiliate program to allow 

interested schools to participate.

1. Baring-Gould, I.; Flowers, L.; Kelly, M.; Barnett, L.; Miles, J. (2009). Wind for Schools: Developing 

Education Programs to Train the Next Generation of the Wind Energy Workforce. 11 pp.; NREL Report No. 

CP 500 45473

women and minority students are not interested in math by the 6th grade, they are unlikely to pursue

math or science careers.

Wind for Schools system installed at Sanborn Central 

School in Forestburg, South Dakota. PIX16032/ East 

River Electric Power Cooperative.

WINDPOWER 2011, Anaheim, California, May 22 – 25, 2011. NREL/PO-7A20-51206

NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

p y

• Work collaboratively with communities and local utilities to implement cost-effective and 

community-supported school energy projects

• Provide technical assistance and training to universities by national laboratory staff

• Implement a low-cost data collection system with international accessibility

• Integrate information from a variety of school wind projects. 

CP-500-45473. 

2. Baring-Gould, I. (2009). Wind for Schools: A Wind Powering America Project (Brochure). 8 pp.; NREL 

Report No. BR-500-45684; DOE/GO-102009-2830.

3. Wind for Schools Affiliate Programs: Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program (Fact Sheet). (2009). 4 

pp.; NREL Report No. FS-7A2-45729; DOE/GO-102009-2833.

4. Wind at Work: Wind Energy and Job Creation in the EU. 

http://www.ewea.org/fileadmin/ewea_documents/documents/publications/Wind_at_work_FINAL.pdf

5. 20% Wind Energy by 2030: Increasing Wind Energy's Contribution to U.S. Electricity Supply; Executive 

Summary (Revised). (2008). 27 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-500-42864; DOE/GO-102008-2578.