U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., will officially announce Penn State University as the recipient of two grants from the U.S. Depart-ment of Energy today during his visit to campus.
"The two grants will place the University at the center of the nation's efforts to become energy independent and develop clean energy sources," according to a press release from the senator's office.
The announcement will be made at the MorningStar Solar Home on the corner of Porter Road and Park Avenue across from Beaver Stadium, according to the release.
The grants will provide funding for the establishment of the Mid Atlantic Clean Energy Applications Center and the Mid Atlantic Solar Resource and Training Center, which will prepare student for jobs in the solar industry, according to Specter's office.
Although the amount of the grants has not yet been released, they are a part of $87 million package being made available by the federal government for the development of clean energy, specifically solar.
Officials for Specter and Penn State said they could not comment on the specifics of the grants until after the official announcement today.
Penn State spokeswoman Annemarie Mountz said the grants come as a result of the research and work Penn State has done concerning clean energy technology.
"I think it's safe to say we are certainly in the forefront in our efforts," she said.
Specter's office specifically cited Penn State's work in 2007 and 2009 Solar Decathlon competitions. Penn State finished fourth in the 2007 decathlon with its work on the MorningStar Solar Home. The house contains state-of-the-art technology, including LED lights powered by solar panels that change colors with the weather forecast and a stove that cooks using electromagnetism.
The grants will help to establish training centers to prepare students for jobs in the solar industry, according to Specter's office.
David Wormley, dean of the College of Engineering, will join Specter during the announcement, according to the press release.
Mountz said she was not aware whether the location of the announcement could change because of inclement weather.
After the announcement of the grants, Specter will hold a roundtable discussion with students at 3 p.m. in the Memorial Lounge at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center
