(May 2009) Renewable Energy and Green Technology

UCSC's main campus won the EPA's Green Power College and University Challenge Award last month. Green Power includes solar, wind, biomass, hydro, ocean (both tidal and wave) and geothermal. Several Silicon Valley companies have emerged as leaders in creating clean technologies and sustainable business practices. Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are always at the forefront of innovations and seeking investment in clean technologies. It is estimated that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress earlier this year appropriates close to $70 billion for renewable energy, clean technology and the creation of green jobs. A significant portion of that will support Silicon Valley enterprises.

Starting this summer, UCSC Extension in Silicon Valley will feature new green technology courses. You'll find a new section in our catalog pointing to available courses in several areas. We will be offering an introductory course on Renewable Energy, which gives students an understanding of the fundamentals and practical aspects of green energy. We will also feature a Server Virtualization course which allows IT professionals to dramatically lower the power consumption of datacenters, among other benefits. VLSI chip designers can learn practical techniques to lower circuit power. The results are electronics that conserve energy and become more reliable. We've also included an in-depth course on solar cell devices.

We offer professional level training that is both relevant and challenging. At UCSC Extension in Silicon Valley, working professionals from several disciplines can learn to contribute to the development of green technology and see plenty of green — and that means dollars too.