Kathleen Hohl, Communications and Events Director
414-297-6208 (office); 414-235-7105 (cell); hohlk@matc.edu

MATC Hosts Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony at
Photovoltaic Educational Laboratory

MATC District Board member Fred Royal, Jr., (left) and MATC President Dr. Michael L. Burke at the Sept. 15, 2010 Photovoltaic Educational Laboratory ribbon cutting ceremony.

Bruno Biasiotta of Johnson Controls (left) and Dr. Michael L. Burke of MATC congratulate each other on the MATC-Johnson Controls collaboration on the Photovoltaic Educational Laboratory.

MILWAUKEE (Sept. 15, 2010) – Milwaukee Area Technical College hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its 32-acre, 540 kW Photovoltaic Educational Laboratory on Wednesday, Sept. 15. The PV Lab is located at 810 E. Capitol Dr., Milwaukee.

MATC and Johnson Controls, the global leader in delivering products, services and solutions that increase energy efficiency in buildings, collaborated on the project, the largest operating photovoltaic facility in Wisconsin and is believed to be the first entirely portable photovoltaic facility in the United States. The project was unanimously approved by the Wisconsin Technical College System State Board on Sept. 30, 2009, and ground was broken on May 5, 2010.

“The Photovoltaic Educational Laboratory showcases several outstanding attributes of MATC: innovation and creativity at work; partnering with local businesses to provide new educational opportunities; advancing the world of technology to heights we have not seen before; and becoming a leader for other educational institutions and businesses to follow,” said MATC President Dr. Michael L. Burke. “This physical location has changed dramatically in just over four months. It started as a non-descript, unwanted, unmarketable tract of land that had stumped experts for decades on what exactly to do with it. Now, it represents what can really be called a new American dream.”

The 32-acre, 540 kW facility features 2,590 photovoltaic panels.

“This state-of-the-art training center will develop the next generation of clean energy engineers,” said Bruno Biasiotta, Johnson Controls Vice President and General Manager, Energy Solutions, Americas. “It will also provide technicians, electricians, designers, and professionals in this renewable and clean energy technical economy.”

The site features: • 2,590 PV panels; • two training centers for technicians, designers, site assessors, electricians, sales personnel and other professionals in renewable energy fields; • over-parking and over-road array placement; • data collection capabilities; and • the first public television transmitter in the country that will approximate energy grid neutrality.

MATC's PV Lab is the largest operating photovoltaic facility in Wisconsin.

About MATC
The largest technical college in the state, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of the economy in southeastern Wisconsin. MATC offers 200 degrees, diplomas, certificates and apprenticeships, plus nearly 400 transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees. A large pre-college program enables people to complete high school and prepare for higher learning. The Office of Corporate Learning provides customized training to incumbent workers. Approximately 50,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses, numerous evening centers and community-based sites, or learn online. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses right here at home. Visit www.matc.edu.

About Johnson Controls Building Efficiency
Johnson Controls Building Efficiency is a leading provider of equipment, controls and services for heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, refrigeration and security systems for buildings. Operating from 500 branch offices in 150 countries, we deliver products, services and solutions that increase energy efficiency and lower operating costs for over one million customers. We are involved in more than 500 renewable energy projects including solar, wind and geothermal technologies. Our solutions have reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 13.6 million metric tons and generated savings of $7.5 billion since 2000. Many of the world’s largest companies rely on us to manage 1.5 billion square feet of their commercial real estate.