In Windham, New Hampshire (“Live Free or Die”), the Windham Initiative for Renewable Energy, or WIRE, is looking to educate Windham High School students in 21st century climate science and renewable energy by installing solar panels, a wind turbine and a weather-monitoring station.

Formed by the School Board in 2008, and inspired by 13-year-old Windham High student David Hutchings, WIRE – a nonprofit – aims to educate students and the public at large in the need for replacing America’s power generation with clean, renewable energy.

A new report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that renewable energy accounted for 11.1 percent of U.S. generation in April of 2009. That was more than nuclear power.

Granted, a good portion of that renewables mix was hydroelectric generation, and coal still dominates, but the underlying indications of such a remarkable report are that solar is, for the first time in history, coming into its own.

Other significant reports on solar’s advance include one from Clean Edge and Co-op America predicting that solar energy will reach 10 percent of the total generation mix by 2025, and another by the Prometheus Institute suggesting that solar will reach grid parity (as cheap as coal or gas per kilowatt hour) by 2015.

Clearly, Windham High students want to be part of that new energy paradigm, and installing a variety of photovoltaic (PV) solar arrays (as well as a wind turbine and a weather monitoring station) will help them realize that goal.

The facilities, while providing less energy than the school uses, will be a hands-on learning opportunity, and that – combined with a curriculum on 21st century climate science taught by Mary Fries, the Dean of the math, science and technology departments at the school – will give students an opportunity to explore ecological issues, build and disassemble the solar and wind devices, and learn about alternative energy engineering and job opportunities.

According to Alan Carpenter, a WIRE board member, the group hopes to raise about $60,000 from corporations and individuals within about a year to fund the various devices. Carpenter, a former selectman, said WIRE has already collected about $3,000 for the project, and is looking for grant money to fund the gap between donations and the amount needed.

When the fundraising is completed, the school will begin its purchases, according to School Board Chairman Bruce Anderson, who says the solar panels, turbine and weather station will give students an opportunity to make, and understand, future career choices based on actual experience and not just textbooks.

“The payback isn’t energy savings, but curriculum enhancement. It’s also a great opportunity to get kids excited in high school.”