By GREG JORDAN
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
UNION —
Monroe County students recently checked out an option for energy production that’s being considered in some parts of Appalachia.
Sixteen students and their teachers from Monroe and Mingo counties toured the Beech Wind Energy Center in Greenbrier County. The JOBS Project, an organization that supports locally-owned renewable energy education and development, facilitated the trip. Tom Hoffman, principal of Mingo Career & Technical Center, said the state could benefit from technologies like wind.
“We have great resources in West Virginia, including our human resources, coal and timber. We don’t want to replace what’s already working, but alternative energy can add to it and provide another option for people to use.”
When they reached the wind facility, which will have 67 wind turbines when completed, the students said they were impressed with the structures’ size.
“They’re easy to manage, which is surprising for an almost 400-foot-tall machine. They adjust their blades according to wind direction and speed and will stop automatically if the wind starts blowing too hard,” said student Ashton Harvey of Monroe County.
“I think the turbines are a good idea for future energy production. It is the cleanest source of energy possible,” said Monroe freshman Levi Miller. “They aren’t a disturbance, either.”
One Monroe County student said that alternative energy such as wind could help parts of West Virginia that do not have a coal industry.
“I think it could benefit Monroe County,” said student E.T. Weiss. “Monroe County doesn’t have coal mines. I think some people might have a problem with it (any noise) but after they learn more about it, they will like it more and use it more.”
Another student was surprised by how quickly a wind turbine can be erected.
“Two men can put up two of those huge towers in a single day. They already had 54 erected when we were there, and the project will fund 67 total,” said student Ariel Thomas.
The science behind alternative energy sources like wind power offers possibilities for classroom work, another student said.
“We can use the wind as a teaching tool. It is a real world example of mathematics in motion,” said Monroe student Cody Carter.
Students who documented the visit plan to share their photo stories at Energy Independence Day in Williamson on June 5.
