For Jensen Burkitt, taking part in the Green Technology Program at the St. Croix Educational Complex Vocational School is a chance to pursue a dream.
"My long term goal is own my own business," he said. But recognizing that there’s a lot to learn before he gets there, he has become one of 30 people selected from more than 120 applicants to learn both the theoretical and practical aspects of solar water heaters.
The goal: to jump start the use of solar energy in the territory, cutting the use of fossil fuels and creating an industry based on clean power.
Program participants marked a milestone Friday, completing the third of four phases in their education as solar water heater installers.
According to Kelly Gloger of St. Croix’s Solar Delivered, the program is unique in the United States, offering a mix of classroom, lab and on-the-job training.
Gloger and Maurice Roberts of Solar Delivered, have been working for more than a year to bring the program to fruition. Their efforts got a big boost this spring when the federal stimulus money in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was made available for energy projects. The territory is to receive $30 million for energy projects, and a portion of that, possibly the lion’s share depending on how the details are worked out, will go to converting traditional water heating systems to solar.
The program will allow homeowners to purchase solar systems with no upfront money. The savings on energy bills will be applied to paying off the low-interest or no-interest loans that purchased the system. When the system is paid off, the homeowner will own the solar water heater and continue to reap the reward of lower power bills.
According to Gloger, the goal is to increase solar water heater sales in the territory from 125 a year to 1,000 or more.
And someone will have to install all those systems.
The Green Tech training program is a joint effort by a variety of public and private groups, including the V.I. departments of Labor, Education and Energy, and various companies that sell the systems.
The 120 or so who applied for the program were interviewed and tested on a variety of criteria, including reading and math skills. The 30 who were chosen took eight weeks of classroom training, six hours a day, five days a week, on such things as small and power tool use, safety, and employment skills. Then they had two weeks of studying the theory behind solar energy and the different types of systems that make use of the sun’s power.
That led to the third phase, which ended Friday. Businesses that sell solar systems brought in a variety of types of systems and the students took the gear out of the boxes and assembled them.
"It’s much easier than the theory," said program participant Glenwood David. Instead of sitting in a classroom studying, they were in the lab. "When you do it for real, that’s what it’s all about."
The fourth and final phase of the program is to go out and actually install units in the field. The now 26 participants will be broken into four teams and will install 16 solar water heating systems on public buildings at Ruby Homes, the V.I. Energy Office, the Boys & Girls Club and the Herbert Grigg Home.
Willard John, principal of the Vocational Center, said he has been impressed with the motivation of the participants. The program has only lost four students since it started, which is remarkable, Roberts said. And none of those four left because they didn’t want to be part. Two left the island, one joined the Army and one was injured on National Guard training.
"When we were interviewing them we asked them all why they wanted to take part," Gloger said. "They all said, ‘This is an emerging field and I want to get my foot in the door.’"
