December 16, 2011

Students at Henley Middle School got to take part in a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday afternoon.

Administrators at the Albemarle County school hope to have the renewable energy resource center up and running by mid-January, but Friday's ceremony showed off one completed part of the project, a wind turbine.

The new center, complete with solar thermal panels, a solar hot water system and electronic data monitoring to go with the turbine revealed Friday, will allow students to learn about energy use.

"Renewable energy is actually part of the sixth grade curriculum, so this is a hands-on living laboratory for students. We're hoping to grow a new generation of individuals who think about energy differently and understand that we can use renewables," said environmental coordinator Susan Guerrant.

The Virginia Department of Energy donated $200,000 for the center. The wind turbines will be up and running in a few weeks.