FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information:
Krista Hildebrand
503.467.4686
khildebrand@frause.com
Lita Colligan
Oregon Institute of Technology
503.725.5927
Lita.Colligan@oit.edu
OREGON INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY FIRST IN THE U.S.
TO OFFER RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS DEGREE
New degree program supports state’s growing industry cluster
PORTLAND, Ore. (July 22, 2008) With the number of renewable energy companies located in Oregon continuing to grow, a state university has stepped up to the plate to support the burgeoning industry cluster. In June of this year, the Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) graduated its first student with a Bachelor of Science in Renewable Energy Systems, the first such degree in North America.
"The technology needed to harness natural energy resources is continually improving," said Lita Colligan, associate vice president for strategic partnerships in Portland. "We now need to keep up with the demand for highly skilled workers who can lead the state, and the entire country, toward a sustainable energy future. OIT is obviously leading the charge in workforce education and training in this highly technical field."
Currently, there are 55 students enrolled in the Renewable Energy Systems Degree Program, which is located on the university’s East Portland campus and also in Klamath Falls. Graduates of the program will be prepared to enter fields involving photovoltaics, wind, biomass, hydropower and geothermal energy. Graduates of the program are prepared for immediate employment as: field engineers; energy auditors; renewable energy system integrators for homes and businesses; manufacturing engineers for component and subsystem manufacturers; designers for components and subsystems; local and state government renewable-energy inspectors and planners; as well as other positions in the energy field.
OIT has a long history as an advocate and user of sustainable energy in the region. The university’s campus in the southern Oregon city of Klamath Falls is the only geothermally heated university campus in America and is home to the Geo-Heat Center, a national resource for geothermal development. The Portland and Klamath Falls campuses host the Oregon Renewable Energy Center (OREC), which assists businesses and communities to apply renewable energy systems, leading to cost savings and product development.
In the past 18 months alone, six solar energy companies have announced the decision to locate major manufacturing facilities in Oregon. These include: Peak Sun, which has purchased property in the mid-Willamette Valley town of Millersburg; Solaicx, which recently opened the doors to its newest manufacturing plant in Portland; Germany-based SolarWorld Group, which has a manufacturing facility in Hillsboro; SpectraWatt, a new company funded in part by Intel Capital, which also will be located in Hillsboro; and XsunX, which will be moving into a recently vacated manufacturing plant in Wood Village, just east of Portland.
Additionally, Oregon is home to other renewable energy companies such as: Vestas Wind Systems, which has its U.S. headquarters in Portland; wave energy developer Finavera, which also recently located its U.S. headquarters in Portland; and PV Powered, located in the central Oregon city of Bend.
Because Oregon is home to a large cluster of high-tech companies, including Intel’s largest chip manufacturing facility in the world, the state attracts a highly educated talent pool for the renewable energy industry. Photovoltaic production in particular benefits from a workforce familiar with the processing of silicon. Additionally, the Business Energy Tax Credit program, one of the most progressive in the country, offers tax credits to companies that invest in energy conservation, recycling, and renewable energy resources. Oregon also has some of the lowest energy costs in the nation.
About Oregon Institute of Technology
Oregon Institute of Technology – also known as OIT and Oregon Tech – is the only accredited, public polytechnic university in the Pacific Northwest. The university has two campuses: the main campus in the southern Oregon town of Klamath Falls; and two sites in the Portland, Ore., metropolitan area.
The university also offers degree-specific satellite programs in Medford, Ore., (Respiratory Care), La Grande, Ore., (Dental Hygiene) and Seattle (Manufacturing Engineering Technology for The Boeing Company). OIT’s degree programs include engineering and engineering technologies, allied health professions, management, communication studies and applied sciences. The university works with business professionals to keep programs current with industry trends. Students work together – often across department boundaries – to develop projects and solutions relevant today.
