By Amanda MacMillan
A SCOTS college is going green as it launches a new training centre for renewable energies.
Edinburgh’s Telford College is beginning the initiative on Monday which will see a dedicated Renewable Energies Training Centre be built within the college’s campus in Granton.
The college will be signing a partnership agreement with PPL Training, who is one of the leading training providers for renewable energies in the UK, to launch the new centre.
The centre will open in December 2010 and will provide training on a variety of renewable energy courses, from solar, photovoltaics (PV) to underground heat source pumps.
The centre will also see the development of an ‘eco apartment’ which will bring together academia from colleges and universities with the construction and engineering industry to showcase the latest environmentally-friendly technologies and building methods.
This will provide the building industry in Edinburgh and the East of Scotland with a new focus to deliver zero carbon, modern, efficient, affordable homes.
Miles Dibsdall OBE, principal of Edinburgh’s Telford College, said: “We are very happy to be signing this partnership with PPL Training and to be enhancing our commitment in providing and developing new, innovative courses in renewable energies.
“Now is a very exciting time to pursue a career in renewable energies – despite the recession, the renewable energies sector seems to be doing quite well, especially in Scotland.
“Within the renewable energy industry, Scotland is one of the best places in Europe to be for its rich natural resources – the country has more than enough raw energy from wave, tidal and offshore winds to meet its own needs many times over and could become Europe’s leading supplier of sustainable energy.
“Edinburgh’s Telford College is therefore naturally delighted to be able to offer renewable energy courses to provide environmentally-aware students with the skills to pursue an extremely rewarding career in renewable energies.”
The first courses taking place at the Renewable Energies Training Centre will commence in December 2010, with all certificated courses being available from January 2011 in solar photovoltaics, thermal, ground and air source heat pumps, rain and gray water recycling.
