SUNY Delhi Launches New Integrated Energy Systems Degree

DELHI, NY (02/15/2012)(readMedia)-- SUNY Delhi now offers students an associate degree in Integrated Energy Systems beginning the spring 2012 semester, following approval by the State University of New York and the New York State Education Department.

Delhi's Integrated Energy Systems degree builds on the strengths of its electrical faculty, facilities, and existing courses in photovoltaic (solar electric energy) and alternative energy. It is designed to respond to a growing need within the industry for electrical technicians with the skills and knowledge of utility and renewable energy systems.

"Delhi faculty and facilities place the college at the forefront of alternative energies within SUNY. With this degree, we are capitalizing on a growing number of career opportunities for electrical technicians," said Mark Schneider, assistant professor of SUNY Delhi's Applied Sciences and Technology Division. "Graduates will need knowledge on both sides of the meter, and that's how we prepare students who enroll in Delhi's Integrated Energy Systems major."

Graduates will be prepared to pursue careers with electric utility companies and will be qualified for positions with companies specializing in renewable energy systems. Graduates will also be prepared to work in residential energy technologies, including distributed energy generation, alternative and renewable energy, and utility interconnection. Detailed attention will be given to photovoltaic energy, wind energy, and back-up power sources and energy storage.

SUNY Delhi faculty met with utility and renewable energy representatives to design a curriculum that meets industry needs. What they discovered was a number of utility workers who were at or near retirement age and vacancies requiring specific knowledge in new technologies. "The new energy systems can present a number of challenges to employees that can lead to costly turnovers for the industry," said Jim Ellis, instructor. "With Delhi's new associate degree, graduates will have already faced many of those challenges and will be better prepared when they enter the job market."

SUNY Delhi's Integrated Energy Systems program is accredited to Institute for Sustainable Power Quality (ISPQ) standards by the Accreditation Committee of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. The college is also accredited by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council for teaching the design and installation of photovoltaic systems. The college recently installed a system of 100 photovoltaic modules to provide a permanent site for demonstrating renewable energy technology to students preparing for careers in electrical and building construction while offsetting a portion of the college's energy use, thanks to a $172,000 grant by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The college also offers non-credit courses in photovoltaic design and installation to groups of individuals currently working in New York State's energy industry.

For more information about SUNY Delhi's Integrated Energy Systems degree, contact Enrollment Services at 1-800-96-DELHI or visit on the web at www.delhi.edu.