Students from Blackfeet Community College have been selected as a Phase 1 winner in the U.S. Department of Energy's American-Made Tribal College and University (TCU) Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize.
BROWNING, Mont.—A team of students from Blackfeet Community College (BFCC) was recently selected as a Phase 1 winner in the U.S. Department of Energy's American-Made Tribal College and University (TCU) Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize. This national competition supports student-led teams in developing innovative projects that integrate renewable energy with food sovereignty initiatives.
BFCC's winning project, is named SAPOO Land Energy. "Sapoo" is Blackfeet for "Wind." The team of students and their USDA Extension Director, along with a couple of technical advisors, are working on a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine to power BCC's greenhouse and the college's new multi-purpose building. Any leftover power may be directed to help community individuals and projects.
One student noted that the team chose a vertical wind turbine as an alternative to the traditional horizontal wind turbine because the strong wind in the area breaks down horizontal windmills. Vertical wind turbines actually use less space and work more efficiently.
As a Phase 1 winner, BFCC has received a $40,000 cash prize and will advance to Phase 2a, where teams compete for an additional $75,000 to further develop their projects. The competition will culminate in Phase 3, where final projects will be showcased, with top teams earning up to $75,000 in additional funding.
The Phase 1 portion began the student-led team explaining the project, including wind conditions on the eastern front of the Rocky Mountains. They will now move on to a planning and permitting phase, researching locations for the project, materials needed and contractors to do the work.
The students involved in the project are part of Blackfeet Community College's USDA extension program, also known as the Cooperative Extension System (CES), a non-formal education program that helps people use research to improve their lives. The Smith Lever Act formalized an extension in 1914, establishing the USDA's partnership with land-grant universities to apply research and provide education in agriculture.
