Energy Academy Students Study Region for Wind Power

National Energy Education Development Director of Career and Technology Education Doug Keaton of Flatwoods, Ky., center, and LWC Energy Technology Career Academy Director Heather Spoon read data gathered from a wind anemometer in southwestern Adair County. Looking on are Adair County High School students who are members of the ETCA.

COLUMBIA, Ky. -- A group of Adair County High School students recently began studying whether Southcentral Kentucky has prospects of supplying alternative energy one day.

Students in the Energy Technology Career Academy began testing a wind anemometer they recently installed on the property of Joy Arnold on Weed-Sparksville Road (Kentucky Highway 768).

 Nicknamed "Windy" the students will gather data from the wind anemometer every 10-14 days to discover whether the southwestern area of the county is a good place to harvest wind energy. During the study, Windy will be moved to several locations throughout the region.

The project is directed by ETCA Director Heather Spoon.

The ETCA students will also submit their data to the Center for Applied Energy Research at the University of Kentucky. ETCA is partnering with the UK center, Kentucky Department for Energy Development and Independence and the National Energy Education Development in trying to find areas in Kentucky that hold promise for wind energy.

The ETCA students are the only high school students in Kentucky participating in the project, according to Doug Keaton, NEED director of career and technology education.

Sponsored by Lindsey Wilson College, the ETCA is offered at Adair and Russell county high schools as a way for students to learn about careers in energy sources and energy sustainability.

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