Richland Community College
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

The Renewable Energy Systems Specialty is designed to provide students with the fundamental skills needed for an entry level technical career in the emerging industry of renewable energy. This career-laddering curriculum integrates a technical hands-on understanding of the mechanical, electrical, and computerized control systems with the theory and economics that are critical to the efficient operation of renewable energy systems. Renewable energy subjects include solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, biomass, and geothermal energy systems. Upon completion of the program, students will be able to perform tasks related to system operation, maintenance, and repair.

The Sequestration Specialty provides students with an educational foundation in the skills required for a career in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies. Students will develop a broad understanding of basis chemistry, geologic concepts and formations, policy developments, and risk assessment related to capturing and storing carbon dioxide from major industrial sources, such as fossil fuel burning power plants. Student will examine carbon dioxide utilization, including enhanced oil recovery (EOR), enhanced coalbed methane recovery (ECBM), and terrestrial sequestration. Students will utilize a variety of data acquisition, monitoring, and analysis equipment for groundwater, soil, and atmospheric monitoring, seismic surveys, and well logs.

The Wind Energy AAS is designed to provide students with a background in the skills needed for a career in the wind energy generation field. This program ensures a broad understanding of the mechanical, electrical, and computerized control systems that work toward the efficient operation of a wind turbine. Upon completion of the program, students will be able to perform the tasks related to wind turbine operation, maintenance, and repair.

Biofuels curriculum is designed to provide individuals with an educational foundation, including those vital technical skills, to obtain employment in the biofuels industry, or to assist an individual with understanding biofuels manufacture components. Course work includes general education, alternative energy resource management, biochemistry, industrial safety and an array of course work specific to changing sectors of the biofuels industry. Graduates of the curriculum should qualify for numerous positions within the Biofuels industry and related industries in food bioprocessing. See also Agribusiness and Horticulture.

This career-laddering curriculum provides individuals with the essential skills needed to perform a variety of bioprocess operations tasks in existing and emerging biotechnology manufacturing environments. Course work includes developing the following skills: identifying vehicle and transportation hazards; employing physical and cyber security practices; using fire, rescue and emergency response equipment; operating environmental control equipment; handling potable water, fire water, service/utility water, waste water and cooling water; working with chemicals; maintaining auxiliary equipment; storing materials; operating and repairing steam turbines, heat exchangers, boilers, turbines, engines, separation equipment, reactors, solids handling equipment, steam generation and distribution systems, reaction systems, separation systems, extraction systems, distillation systems, stripping systems, dehydration systems, and filtration systems; employing techniques to optimize system economics; writing procedures; recognizing normal and abnormal system operation; employing strict procedural techniques for system startup and system shutdowns; and working as part of a team. Graduates will be qualified to attain entry-level process operator positions in biotechnology and bioscience production facilities, food processing plants, pharmaceutical process facilities, chemical manufacturing plants, pulp and paper manufacturing plants, and power generation facilities

The Wind Energy Systems Certification is designed to provide students with a background in the skills needed for a career in the wind energy generation field. This program ensures a broad understanding of the mechanical, electrical, and computerized control systems that work toward the efficient operation of a wind turbine. Upon completion of the program, students will be able to perform the tasks related to wind turbine operation, maintenance, and repair.