Return to article

Wind Workshop in a Box gets a facelift

The updated Wind Workshop in a Box has offers interactive CD ROMS, publications and videos in a handy carrying case.

It is not messing with success to change with the times, which is what Western did when it asked the Interstate Renewable Energy Council to update its popular Wind Workshop in a Box kit.

Western’s workshop-in-a-box kits provide state, municipal and governmental agencies, community groups, utilities and other consumers with information about renewable energy technologies. IREC has also created workshop kits for solar power, neighborhood power and solar school projects. Western is considering developing a geothermal version of the workshop-in-a-box kit for the U.S. Department of Energy GeoPowering the West program. Workshop-in-a-Box kits are among the many tools available to Western customers through the Energy Services Equipment Loan program.

Kit uses new communication tools
Things have changed since Western contracted with IREC to develop the first Wind Workshop-in-a-Box in 2000 for DOE’s Wind Powering America program. Wind technology has moved forward in leaps and bounds, and, just as important, so have communications media. The original CD-ROM, the guts of the kit, as IREC Program Manager Jane Pulaski calls it, was static. “It had a lot of hard copy—photos, PowerPoint presentations and PDFs,” she said.

Pulaski designed both versions of the kit under Western’s direction and is proud of the new Wind Energy: Building Our Homes, Businesses and Communities Workshop-in-a-Box CD-ROM. “It’s all interactive,” she explained.

Laid out in the familiar Web page format, the CD table of contents is permanently displayed in a left-hand navigation menu. Users can browse and select from eight chapters covering an introduction, workshop tips and sample agendas, general information, resource assessment, policies, utility-scale wind energy, small-scale wind energy and resources.

The main window displays the contents of each chapter including printable documents and online resources. “When we put the first kit together five years ago, the online resources weren’t anything close to what they are today,” said Pulaski.

Choosing among the vast amount of information available was one of the big challenges of designing the CD-ROM, she added. “We made an effort to scoop up the best and most current information out there.”

Pulaski credited the graphic designer and technical consultant with doing a great job of organizing the information into a clear and easy-to-use format.

Mix and match materials for custom meeting
The effort resulted in a one-stop shop for creating workshops on both small- and utility-scale wind. The CD-ROM offers sample agendas for a half-hour meeting, half- or full-day workshop, as well as PDFs to print as handouts. In addition to the CD-ROM, the kit contains:

• The Wind Power Handbook for Public Utilities: A Summary of State Wind Working Group Handbook, covering the wide array of wind power development issues.  The American Public Power Association’s Demonstration of Energy Efficient Developments Program provided the handbook.
  
• Wind Power: Today and Tomorrow, a DOE document highlighting the accomplishments of the wind power industry and the Federal Wind Technologies Program.
  
• The Crop of the Future, a 10-minute DVD from Waverly, Iowa, Light and Power about the effect of wind power on a small Iowa community with additional information on wind power’s broader implications for the nation. The DVD contains links, photos and a short Power Point presentation.
  
• The Power of Wind, an 11-minute video by the American Wind Energy Association. The video covers wind power history, technology, costs, installation, environmental benefits and the state of the U.S. wind industry today.
  
• The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Small Wind Speakers Toolkit CD, a comprehensive multimedia slide show about small wind power for home, farm and business applications. It is also a guide to help understand small wind technology. 
  
• Small Wind Electric Systems: A U.S. Consumers Guide, by NREL and Wind Powering America, for individual consumers, schools and small businesses interested in putting up small wind turbines.

The materials allow users to tailor the mix of written and visual resources to the audience. The information runs from wind basics to more technical material to help both utilities and customers understand the value of wind power.

Wider audience awaits improved kit
All of these resources come packed in a sturdy cardboard case with a convenient handle. “We wanted people to be able to tote the kit around,” said Pulaski. “We expect ‘Wind-Workshop-in-a-Box’ to go places.”

That’s likely since 60 Western customers borrowed the first kit. “The new and improved kits should prove even more useful to Western customers needing outreach materials on wind power technologies.” said Western Renewable Resources Program Manager Randy Manion.

Western customers won’t be the only ones to benefit from the wealth of information in the kit. APPA is making the Wind Workshop-in-a-Box available to its members. “We believe APPA members will find Wind Workshop-in-a-Box a valuable tool for evaluating and developing their community’s wind capabilities,” explained DEED Administrator Michele Suddleson. “The various pieces of the kit are designed to draw diverse audiences into the wind discussion.”

Western customers can request the 2005 Wind Workshop in a Box kit online or call 720-962-7420.