Questar III’s Green Technologies & Renewable Energy and Tech Valley High School students toured the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) headquarters in North Greenbush. The tour was the culmination of projects where students had built and worked with similar, solar, wind power and model grid kits.
NYISO oversees the high-voltage grid and makes sure New York State has electrical power 24/7. The two-hour tour concluded with students viewing the elaborate control room, where engineers monitor a giant board day and night that maps the states transmission lines and the power plants that connect them.
The tour was part of the nearly $200,000 “Improving Bridges for Clean Energy Training from High School to College and Career” grant awarded to Questar III, in collaboration with MESO, Inc, Morrisville State College, SUNY ESF and KidWind Project, from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
“Students turn on a light switch without thinking of multiple decisions made by others to keep the power flowing through the electrical grid,” said Glenn Van Knowe, vice president and senior research scientist of MESO, Inc.
“The tour today allowed students to gain a better grasp of concepts learned in class and was an important step in leading students to much needed careers in energy efficiency and management,” said Questar III, Green Technologies & Renewable Energy teacher, Karl Kunker.
Learn more about Questar III’s Green Technologies & Renewable Energy Program
