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Duke Energy receives federal funding to increase wind power initiatives
Duke Energy has announced it has received a $22 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to finance a wind power storage project.
The Texas-based company will match the federal funding in order to design, build and install a system of large-scale batteries that will store energy created by one of its wind farms.
Through the project, the company hopes to store energy for future use, as current technology only allows for power production when the wind moves turbine blades.
New battery systems will allow wind energy customers access to power when demand is the highest, which could make renewable energy more marketable.
As a result, greenhouse gases that are emitted from coal or natural gas burning may be reduced.
The company intends to use battery development to "show that renewables can play an even bigger role in our country's energy future" than originally thought, said Wouter van Kempe, president of Duke Energy Generation Services.
Individuals who wish to embark on careers in the green sector may consider enrolling in associates, bachelors or masters programs in sustainable management or renewable energy.
Opportunities for environmental engineers, whose median annual earnings were $69,940 in May 2006, are expected to grow by 25 percent over the next seven years. 
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