COLORADO NEW ENERGY “SUPERCLUSTER” & MAUI WIND RESEARCH CENTER

Some states can see the future coming and go out to meet it. Others don’t seem to see the inevitability of the New Energy future. Isn’t it interesting that so often those states with future-welcoming political policy, business backing and academic innovation turn out to be the ones where affluence and quality of life grows?

Weaving a New Energy future for Colorado. (click to enlarge)

CSU launches renewable energy ‘supercluster’
Judith Kohler, March 20, 2008 (AP via Denver Post)
and
UPC Wind Signs Agreement With Department of Energy to Establish National Wind Technology Center on Maui
April 1, 2008 (UPC Wind Partners, LLC /PR Newswire via Fox Business News)

WHO
- Cenergy/Colorado State University (CSU)(Larry Penley, President); Colorado Governor Bill Ritter (D.); Colorado Senators Wayne Allard (R.) and Ken Salazar (D.); Professor Bryan Willson, chief scientific officer, Cenergy
- Hawai'i Governor Linda Lingle; UPC Wind Partners, LLC (Paul Gaynor, President/CEO); U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL); National Wind Testing Center (NWTC)

Senators Salazar (D) and Allard (R) riding nonpartisan alternative transportation into the New Energy future. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
- The university and the state will partner in the development of a renewable energy "supercluster" called Cenergy to more quickly and effectively move New Energy and energy efficiency technologies from the R&D lab to the marketplace.
- UPC and NREL signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to study the development of wind energy in Hawaii and specifically to study the integration of wind energy into the Hawaiian grid.

WHEN
- In 2007, the Colorado State University initiated cancer and infectious diseases “superclusters” for the same research and market implementation purposes.
- The Hawai'i Clean Energy Initiative calls for the state to obtain 70% of its power from New Energy by 2030.
- This partnership has been developing since January.
- This is the first such partnership for NREL outside Colorado.

This is just a guess: NREL won't have trouble finding researchers to take the duty in Maui. (click to enlarge)

WHERE
- Professor Willson predicts U.S. energy demand to increase 25% in the next quarter century and more in other countries.
- Cenergy will focus R&D in 4 areas: solar energy, wind energy, biofuels and energy efficiency.
- UPC Wind Partners, LLC, is based in Massachusetts.
- NREL is based in Golden, Colorado.
- NREL will establish a Remote Research Affiliate Partner Site at the UPC 30 megawatt Kaheawa Wind Farm on Maui.

WHY
- Governor Ritter has been an advocate of "a new energy economy" for the state, emphasizing New Energy and “clean” coal.
- The supercluster will engage 100+ faculty members from many CSU colleges and departments.
- Professor Willson, Cenergy’s head, is a co-founder of companies developing cleaner engines, cleaner cooking stoves and algae biofuel.
- NREL is DOE’s and the U.S.’s lead research lab for New Energy and energy efficiency.
- Governor Lingle and her office were instrumental in creating this partnership.
- The Maui branch of the NWTC with UPC Wind on advanced wind energy technologies, energy storage and grid integration technology.
- The goal is to assist in making wind energy costs competitive with other forms of energy feeding Hawaii’s grid.

click to enlarge

QUOTES
- Governor Ritter: "We see this moving the agenda full speed ahead…"
- Larry Penley, President, CSU: "Universities must go beyond the creation of ideas and realize the potential that they have to bring about market-based, enterprise solutions to one of our greatest challenges: global climate change…"
- Professor Bryan Willson, chief scientific officer, Cenergy: "We believe that solutions are possible on a massive scale…"
- Senator Allard: "…one great step forward…"
- Paul Gaynor, President/CEO, UPC: "Our Kaheawa Wind Farm is an ideal site to aggressively explore what can be done to reduce Hawai'i's dependence on imported oil…Gov. Lingle has made a concerted effort to encourage wind power development in Hawai'i, as the state seeks to grow its energy independence. We're looking forward to participating in this partnership to help develop new technologies that can grow the wind industry as the leading provider of renewable power in the country."
- Governor Lingle: "The establishment of a presence of the National Wind Technology Center on Maui recognizes our islands' abundant renewable resources, and the advancements we are making to transform Hawai'i into one of the world's first economies based primarily on clean energy resources…This partnership will provide Hawai'i with invaluable technical assistance, access to leading-edge research, and relationships with additional national partners as we seek to reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels…"