Holland College has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (CGC) to offer CGC training in Prince Edward Island as part of the curriculum for its Energy Systems Engineering Technology program, giving graduates nationally recognized training in clean energy heating and cooling systems.

Holland College will incorporate CGC's Installer and Residential Design courses into the program's curriculum. Upon successful completion of the college courses and CGC examinations, graduates can then apply for CGC accreditations.

"PEI has one of the highest penetrations of renewable wind power in the world," says Kent Sheen, program manager for Industrial Technology and Trades at Holland College. "Geothermal heat pump technology is an excellent complement to that resource. Heating is the biggest energy requirement in our homes so our training in geothermal heat pump technology will allow students to set up the most efficient and cleanest heating and cooling systems available today," he added.

Denis Tanguay, CGC's president and CEO said the signing of the agreement is part of a national initiative to ensure that appropriate training is accessible across the country.

"This MOU marks an important step for the industry. The CGC has committed to have at least one college per province offer geothermal heat pump technology training. Prince Edward Island becomes the sixth province to join our national training effort, and Holland College is the eighteenth college participating in the CGC Education and Training Network," he said.

Students in the two year Energy Systems Engineering Technology program at Holland College learn how to install renewable energy technologies including solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, wind, geothermal, biomass, and biofuel systems both in the laboratory and the field. The program is located in the new Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) on the Prince of Wales Campus in Charlottetown, which incorporates innovative building controls and efficient systems as well as solar photovoltaic, solar thermal and geothermal technologies. The CAST building was designed to give students hands-on access to the building systems during their course of study. Students are exposed to residential and commercial systems and learn to prepare reports, proposals and presentations for new construction or to conserve energy in existing buildings and industries.

For more information about the Energy Systems Engineering Technology program, visit hollandcollege.com/esetech. To find out more about the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition visit www.geoexchange.ca.

In this picture: (Clockwise from front left) Energy Systems Engineering Technology students Ryan Swim, Justin McCarthy, and Dave Little inspect the geothermal system in the Centre for Applied Science and Technology with instructor Blair Arsenault.