Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 16 : Spring 2013 | Page 74

NMCC Adds Impressive New
When the wind power technology program first began at Northern Maine Community College in 2009, it was an exciting addition
to the College’s academic inventory. The first
program of its kind in New England, it underscored NMCC’s ability to respond to community needs and to be in the forefront of technological training.
That excitement carried over in 2010 and
2011 with generous donations of $1.25 million
by a private donor to support renewable energy
efforts at the College. The funds were used
to help establish the Northern Maine Center
for Excellence in Alternative Energy Training
and Education and to provide instructional
equipment for programs and courses involving
renewable energy, particularly wind power.
It was funds from this gift that allowed the
College to purchase the largest teaching tool in
its 50 year history. The newest addition to the
wind power program was delivered to campus
in November, 2012. An 18,000 pound nacelle
and rotor assembly from a wind turbine that
was previously operating in Denmark will now
play a pivotal role in the training of NMCC
wind power students.

“Having a major piece of equipment like
this was a dream for all of us involved in the planning and creation of the wind power program,”
said NMCC President Tim Crowley. “Our wind
power program is already a leader in New England, and this equipment will further advance the
program and most importantly, the knowledge
and skills of our students.”
By eliminating the tower and blades, the
12-year-old Vestas V-25 200 kW nacelle assembly
fits into the wind power lab, where it has been
mounted on a stand to simulate a tower. The nacelle houses the generator and controls of a wind
turbine responsible for its operation. In physical
size, NMCC’s new unit is about 2/3 the size of
the nacelle on the University of Maine at Presque
Isle’s 600 kW tower and much larger than the
nacelle of the 10 kW tower operated at NMCC’s
alternative energy center.
Besides the obvious benefits of allowing the
students to work with the equipment regardless

From left: The nacelle unit arrives
at NMCC after being shipped from
Denmark, including the rotor assembly;
wind power instructor Wayne Kilcollins; students climb the 10 kW tower at
NMCC’s alternative energy center.

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SUMMER 2012