Community Energy Solar LLC has dedicated a one-time donation of $50,000 to the Paul D. Camp Community College Foundation to support new environmental science programs in energy technology with a focus on solar energy.

“This is in line with the governor’s announcement that the largest solar farm in Virginia will be constructed in Southampton County,” PDCCC President Dr. Dan Lufkin said. “This will open local jobs that will need highly specialized skills in order to construct and maintain the facility and give the students the hands-on training they need, as well.”

The college’s new energy technology program and its electrical and instrumentation program will both benefit from the contribution.

“We see the construction and operation of the Southampton Solar Project as a great learning opportunity for students in the electrical field,” said CES Executive Vice President Brent Beerley. “We look forward to supporting the training and education of the next generation of electricians.”

In December, the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education and Virginia Community College System announced funding in the amount of $10,000 from Valley Proteins that will also help PDCCC create the Career Studies Certificate program in energy technology.

“In addition, we recently received approval from Dominion Power to repurpose previously awarded grant funds to be used for the construction and implementation of a mobile solar energy lab,” said Lufkin.

The college has also received a donation of eight solar panels from the VCCS that will all allow a mobile lab to be created and used as a tool to train students for the 21-credit hour CSC.

“With this level of new funding, we will be able to offer this program in fall 2017,” he said.

Registration for fall begins April 24. For more information, contact David Lorenz at dlorenz@pdc.edu.