Latest technology will give students exposure to power plant operations and functions

Denver, Colorado – June 17, 2014 – Students considering degrees in the power utility or renewable energy industry can now find unprecedented access to power equipment modules at Aurora, Colo.-based Ecotech Institute, the only college entirely focused on renewable energy and sustainability training.

Ecotech Institute's Power Utility Technician (PUT) program prepares students for energy efficiency careers in installation, maintenance and improvement of the nation's power supply. Currently, the college has installed a boiler simulator and a combustion simulator; it is expecting the installation of a smart grid simulator, a transformer and switch gear simulator, and a grid training module for the start of the summer term.

The energy efficiency training modules will prepare power utility students to work in a power generation station and provide them exposure to the basic operations and functions encountered in a power plant. The two modules currently installed simulate operations that are critical in the production of steam and energy used to create electricity.

"Based on all of our research and efforts, these modules are some of the best training equipment available for power utility training," said Patrick Longstreth, Ecotech Institute's PUT Program Director. "The job prospect is bright and exciting because of an aging workforce and the ever evolving smart grid technology. An aging infrastructure requires young professionals to both maintain and expand the workforce, which means our students will really benefit."

The new power utility technician training lab equipment uses simulated lab exercises that accurately present various types of scenarios and configurations found in the power generation industries.

Ecotech Institute, the only college entirely focused on renewable energy and sustainability training, currently offers eight associate's degree programs:

*Facility Management Technology
*Residential Energy Management
*Solar Energy Technology
*Wind Energy Technology
*Renewable Energy Technology
*Electrical Engineering Technology
*Power Utility Technician
*Business Administration – Sustainability.

For more information on Ecotech Institute, visit www.ecotechinstitute.com.

About Ecotech Institute
Ecotech Institute is the first and only college entirely focused on preparing America's workforce for careers in renewable energy and sustainability and is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. Launched in April 2010 in Denver, Colorado, it offers eight highly practical renewable energy degree programs that provide graduates with skills valued by today's alternative renewable energy employers. Classes start once per quarter and applications are always accepted. Financial assistance is available to those who qualify. Ecotech Institute is a division of Education Corporation of America. For more information about Ecotech Institute, visit ecotechinstitute.com or call 877-326-5576.