AC goes below the surface
October 16, 2009
Amarillo College is digging deep to enhance its renewable energy program.
The school has long planned to add to its wind classes, which have proven popular at both its East Campus in Amarillo and Moore County Campus in Dumas with more than 300 students enrolled. And AC intends to add classes in solar power next year, but it will go underground in 2011 to offer classes in geothermal power and to install a demonstration system at its East Campus, said Trace Megenbier, coordinator of the renewable energy program.
AC and Texas Tech University recently hosted a day of energy lessons both at AC's Business and Industry campus in downtown Amarillo and at the East Campus.
While wind turbines harvest the area's abundant wind, and solar panels open to the sky for power, geothermal goes deep in the earth to reduce the amount of fossil fuels used to heat or cool the interior of buildings.