|
Helix President and CEO Preston Castille recently visited Hamburg, Germany as part of a local delegation to learn more about renewable energy.
The tour was sponsored and organized by CPEX (Center for Planning Excellence). The delegation included a number of Louisiana senators, Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis, Lafourche Parish President Archie Chiasson, engineering firms interested in the wind industry, including Jacobs Engineering, a host of advocacy groups and a lawyer with Jones Walker.
“It was a phenomenal experience and affirmed that what we are doing at Helix is absolutely what the global economy needs in terms of a prepared workforce for the future,” Castille said. “Our students will benefit greatly by the excellent and innovative education we are providing them.”
Germany’s leadership in offshore wind energy presents a compelling model for regions like Louisiana that are exploring the vast potential of renewable energy sources such as wind energy which uses the power of the wind to generate electricity using wind turbines. The purpose of the visit was to show the economic advantages, environmental benefits, and enhanced energy security of offshore wind developments.
As part of the tour, the group visited the RelyOn NuTech Training facility (which has a facility in Lafayette and Houma, Louisiana), the Fraunhofer Institute for Hydrogen and Wind Energy and other offshore wind and hydrogen energy companies. They also attended the WindEnergy Expo which featured lots of presentations and great exhibits from businesses engaged in the wind energy industry.
"The tour was enlightening,” Castille said. “It showed a clear connection between wind energy and the maritime industry, as we were on the harbor and simulating offshore exercises. The entire day was a strong reminder of the significance of the career models of our Helix schools. Aviation, Maritime, Legal, Energy, and AI were all on display throughout the day. Even health care was discussed in relation to safety training and rescue missions.”
The delegation plans to share the information learned from the trip with other policymakers, lawmakers and business leaders to help further develop Louisiana’s energy plans for the future. Helix plans to incorporate the information in the development of curricula for its energy, maritime, aviation and artificial intelligence programs.
For more information and to see more pictures, go to Helix Community Schools facebook page.
| 
