Old Westbury, NY – NYIT energy management students, under the guidance of an NYIT graduate, will soon get hands-on experience working with a wind turbine planned for an East Islip marina.

The Town of Islip recently approved the construction of a 40-foot tall vertical wind turbine that will supply power for parts of the Islip Harbor police headquarters. Retlif Testing Laboratories, whose president is NYIT alumni Walter Poggi (B.S. '69), will construct the turbine in the spring. For 12-18 months, NYIT students will monitor its energy production, efficiency, and performance. They also may develop a website to share their findings with the public.

Poggi said the testing program will give him and students an idea of how well a small turbine works with Long Island's wind conditions. Students will also study the impact of salty Long Island air on the turbine's operations.

"We at Retlif are hoping to improve our skills related to the testing of wind turbines and to also be able to identify environmental and structural issues that may need to be added to result in better performing turbines," Poggi said.

"Our energy management students will gain valuable experience working with this renewable energy technology, side by side with the engineers who are dedicated to making small wind turbines viable for energy production," said NYIT Director of Business Development Gregory Banhazl.

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New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) offers 90 degree programs, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees, in more than 50 fields of study, including architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. A non-profit independent, private institution of higher education, NYIT has 14,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses. NYIT sponsors 11 NCAA Division II programs and one Division I team.

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Elaine Iandoli
Office of Communications and Marketing
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