R E Edu ca ti on and Training

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W idespread education in sus-

tainable energy could hold

the key to the accelerated

implementation of renewables and the

long-term future of the industry. Bruce

Douglas, Public Relations Manager at

LIOR International, Belgium explores a

range of education and training resources

for all levels. Education, training and information dis-

semination will help to increase public aware- ness about present day energy problems and

the technologies that are available to solve them. This would create real and permanent

changes in everyday behaviour and consumer choice at all levels. At the same time this would increase pressure on politicians to implement positive legislative measures.

This article gives details about a range of education projects, programmes and cours- es to suit a varied audience, with different requirements.

S c h o o l s Today's children are tomorrow's decision makers. Therefore, it is crucial to clearly explain to the younger generation the prob- lems caused by traditional sources of energy and identify solutions and actions that they, as well as their parents and teachers, can realistically play a part in today and in the future.

A two year co-operation program, car- ried out by the Schools Energy Forum (SEF), hosted by the Danish Organisation for Renewable Energy (OVE) and a British organisation, CREATE has

culminated in the formation of the

European Energy and Education Forum (EEEF). The aim of the Forum is to exchange ideas between educational estab- lishments (institutions and schools) on sustainable energy education issues in schools. For more information, please see details at the end of this article, or visit www.school4energy.net

A second European initiative, the School Project for Application of Resources and Energy (SPARE), aims to increase the knowledge and awareness of pupils, stu- dents, teachers and parents, whilst consoli-

dating good energy habits at an early stage in its young participants. Every year, more than 50,000 school children from 10 European countries participate in the SPARE project.

LIOn International, a Belgian multime- dia company has been producing interactive CD-ROMs on a range of renewable energy technologies for several years. These com- prehensive information tools are being used

in numerous schools and universities around the world as teaching and presenta- tion aids (Figure 1).

The company has also put together a renewable energy education pack consisting of several CD-ROMs, specifically targeted at schools. One of these CD-ROMs contains an encyclopaedia of information on renew- ables, a quiz and an interactive game in which the children have to provide heat and power for an Eco-village using renewable energy sources. The aim is to distribute these packs, along with refurbished computers, to 1000s of children across Europe (Figure 2).

U n i v e r s i t i e s Due to the specialised nature of the renew- able energy sector, it is more usual for inter- ested students to follow a postgraduate course, after completing a more general undergraduate degree course, such as science, engineering or environment. One

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O F E A T U R E RE EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Figure 2: Screen shot of the interactive Eco-village game.

relevant undergraduate course is the Open University T265 Renewable Energy course (see "distance learning" below for more information).

P o s t g r a d u a t e courses inc lude: MSc. Renewable Energy Systems Technology (A distance learning course in renewable energy is also available) CREST, Loughborough University, UK Tel: +44 1509 223466 E-mail: A.J.White I @lboro.ac.uk www.lboro.ac.uk/crest

Renewable Energy University of Oldenburg, Germany Tel: +49 441 798 3544 E-mail: edu.knagge@uni-oldenburg.de www.physik.uni-oldenburg.de/ehffppre

MSc. Renewable Energy and the Environment University of Reading, UK Tel: +44 1908 858407 E-mail: a.p.barbosa@ reading.ac.uk www.reading.ac.uk/energy

MSc. Energy Planning for Sustainable Development Aalborg University, Denmark Tel: +45 96 35 83 80 E-mail: hvelplund@ i4.auc.dk www.auc.dk/international/udveksling/ mpenvman.doc

MSc. Energy Technology and Economics City University School of Engineering, UK Tel: +44 207 477 8100

F u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n on r e n e w a b l e e n e r g y e d u c a t i o n a l resources :

LIOR International Multimedia CD-ROMs providing encyclopaedic information on a range of renewable technologies Tel: +32 2305 1004 E-mail: promotion@lior-int.com www.lior-int.com

CREATE The leading organisation for co-ordinating and promoting energy education at all levels in the UK. Tel: +44 1942 322271 E-mail: info@create.org.uk www.create.org.uk

European Energy and Education Forum (EEEF) Tel: +45 8676 0755 E-mail: info@school4energy.net www.school4energy.net

Schools Energy Forum (SEF) E-mail: sef@email.dk

Danish Organisation for Renewable Energy (OVE) E-mail: ove@orgve.dk

School Project for Application of Resources and Energy (SPARE) Tel: +47 224 02400 E-mail: spare@naturvern.no www.naturvern.no/english

International Network for Sustainable Energy (INFORSE) A world-wide network of 200 NGOs in more than 60 countries promoting sustainable energy and social development.

Practical training The professionals that are required to carry out the necessary expansion of the renew- able energy industry need education and practical training if they are to effectively implement this shift in energy production. One example is the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Wales, which is one of Europe's leading eco-centres. It is an edu- cational charity striving to achieve the best co-operation between the natural, techno- logical and human worlds. The 2001 course programme, which can be viewed at www.cat.org.uk, contains an exciting vari- ety of practical courses in a range of renew- able energies.

Regional training networks are springing up across Europe and the US providing vital 'hands-off experience for local craftsmen and installers in the small-scale application of renewable energy technologies. Target GmbH in Hannover, Germany is one com- pany who has expanded into this area and now runs 12 different training courses in var- ious subjects including passive solar housing, solar hot water, photovoltaics and pellet heat- ing. These courses concentrate on practical skills and aim to directly increase the amount of RES installed in the region. For more information visit their web site: target- gmbh.de or contact office@targetgmbh.de

The National Energy Foundation (NEF) is an independent educational charity, based at Milton Keynes in the UK. Its objective is to work for the more efficient, innovative, and safe use of energy and to increase the public awareness of energy in all its aspects. www.natenergy.org.uk

Tel: +45 3524 7700 E-mail: info@inforse.org www.inforse.org

Network of Sustainable Energy Education (NESE) EU funded project collecting information on sustainable energy education Tel: +34 93 319 3586 E-mail: ecoserv@eic.icmet.es www.fluid.mech.ntua.gr/- nese

National Energy Foundation (NEF) Independent educational charity based in the UK Tel: +44 01908 665555

E-mail: nef@natenerg.demon.co.uk www.natenergy.org.uk

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O F E A T U R E - RE E D U C A T I O N A N D TRAINING

E d u c a t i o n a l r e s o u r c e s o n t h e i n t e r n e t

There are literally thousands o f energy and environment education related web sites on the internet. The

following is a non-exhaustive list of some of the best sites which are rele- vant to renewable energy:

General: AGORES The official European Commission information web site for renewable energy sources. Tel: +32 2305 1004 E-mail: agores@lior-int.com www.agores.org

Solstice/CREST Online renewable energy education module www.crest.org/renewables/ re-kiosk/index.shtml

Global Change and Environmental Education Resources www.gcrio.org/educ.html

EE Link A US based web site containing a variety of 'Environmental Education Resources on the Internet' produced by the North American Association for Environmental Education, eelink.net

Energy Information Administration US Department of Energy web site for children giving details on a range of energy sources www.eia.doe.gov/kids

Office of Environmental Education US Environmental Protection Agency site for environmental education resources www.epa.gov/enviroed/index.html

Climate Change: Two very good sites giving basic back- ground information for children on climate change and global warming: www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/index.html www.cop3 .de/fccc/kids/children.htm

Wind: Danish Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association A comprehensive site containing more than 100 animated pages and calculators on wind resources, wind turbine technolo- gy, economics, and environmental aspects of wind energy. www.windpower.dk

Telosnet An illustrated history of wind power development telosnet.com/wind

Photovoltaics: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network Photovoltaics Program

A US Department of Energy initiative giv- ing detailed descriptions of PV including a number of online and printable quizzes to help test your knowledge of PV www.eren.doe.gov/pv

Distance learning Distance learning has been around for some years, however its potential has only recently been truly realised with the growing impor- tance and capabilities of the internet. The Open University, established experts in dis- tance learning, has been running a Renewable Energy undergraduate course (T265) for several years with the next session beginning in February 2001. The bulk of the required course information is contained in a book, 'Renewable Energy, Power for a

Sustainable Future', published by Oxford University Press and the Open University (available from www.amazon.com) and edit- ed by Godfrey Boyle (ISBN 0-19-856451-1) which is supplemented by data and calcula- tions on the Open University web site: www.open.ac.uk/StudentWeb/t265

The International Network for Sustainable Energy (INFORSE) is another organisation which prioritises education in RES, and dis- tance learning in particular. It is for this rea- son that two regional co-ordinators of INFORSE have recently established the "Distant Internet Education on Renewable Energy Technologies" (DIERET), which is available at: www.fae.sk.

Solstice is the US based internet infor- mation service of the Renewable Energy Policy Project and the Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (REPP-CREST), which con- tains information on sustainable energy

On-Line Renewable Energy Education Module Welcome to the first version of CREST's online renewable energy education system! Based on an interactive kiosk also developed by CREST in 1994, this system uses words and pictures to teach the theoretical and practical basics of renewable energy. It takes an introductory approach, not getting so complex as to baffle the first time viewer.

Technology Areas

Figure 3: Screen shot of the CREST on-line renewable energy education module

and development (solstice.crest.org). The site provides an on-line renewable energy education module based on an interactive kiosk developed by CREST in 1994. This system uses words and pictures to teach the theoretical and practical basics of renew- able energy. It takes an introductory approach, not getting into complex details,

so as not to confuse first time viewers. See end of article for web site address (Figure 3). Another US organisation, Solar Energy International, provide on-line courses in renewable energy and sustainable develop- ment. There are three online courses avail- able for 2001 on their web site: www.solarenergy.org

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