Madison Reporter

Madison College, in collaboration with Southwest and Northeast Wisconsin Technical Colleges and the K-12 Energy Education Program at UW Stevens Point, has been awarded a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains Industrial Training and Assessment Center (ITAC) program. This initiative aims to support small and medium-sized manufacturers in Wisconsin by helping them reduce energy costs through new technologies.

Ken Walz, director of the CREATE Energy Center at Madison College, stated, “We are engaging our clean energy faculty and students to drive energy efficiency in local businesses.” He further explained that they plan to provide solar photovoltaics, energy storage, and electric vehicle technology to deliver actionable recommendations for cost reductions and enhanced competitiveness.

The Wisconsin Energy Partnership's objectives include identifying $4.88 million in energy savings, reducing energy use by at least 19.5 million kilowatt hours, and increasing enrollment in energy degree programs by 25 percent among partnering agencies.

As part of the ITAC initiatives, there will be a focus on innovating industry through hands-on learning experiences for students who will bring new innovations to manufacturing floors. The partnership plans to conduct 39 energy assessments over three years while involving at least 90 students in high-impact learning.

Additionally, the initiative seeks to empower the workforce by providing upskill training on topics such as sensors, cybersecurity, energy analytics, and HVAC controls. It is expected that at least 265 workers will receive training through more than 117 sessions.

The program also aims to advance pathways into energy careers by promoting these opportunities among females and special populations. A "Clean Energy Careers" campaign will be launched along with 39 recruitment events.

Amy Seeboth-Wilson from Southwest Tech emphasized the importance of this partnership: “This partnership will help our manufacturers make the best use possible of their resources so they can run more efficiently, adopt new technologies, and save money.”

Wisconsin business owners interested in participating can apply for assessment services starting early 2025. For more information, contact Ken Walz at Madison College.

This marks the first time that a Department of Energy program has been extended to technical and community colleges. The participating institutions are part of the initial cohort working with the DOE Industry Assessment Center program.

Madison Area Technical College leads the CREATE Energy Center funded by the National Science Foundation. It offers academic programs focusing on clean energy across various disciplines such as construction, electrical apprenticeship, industrial maintenance, HVAC systems, electrical engineering, and renewable energy technology. The college operates several solar PV systems totaling nearly 3 MW of installed capacity and has received recognition from the EPA Green Power Leadership Award.