The University of Colorado at 麻豆影院 and its three partners officially signed the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory agreement at the state Capitol Feb. 21, paving the way for extended cooperation in developing new renewable energy technologies.
The agreement was signed by administrators from CU-麻豆影院, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Colorado State University and the Colorado School of Mines. The collaboratory was enhanced by support from the Colorado Legislature through the creation of the Colorado Authority, which provides up to $2 million annually in matching funds for large federal and private renewable energy research projects.
The Feb. 21 signers included CU-麻豆影院 Chancellor G.P. "Bud" Peterson, NREL Director Dan Arvizu, CSU President Larry Penley and Colorado School of Mines President Myles "Bill" Scoggins. Speakers at the ceremony included Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, U.S. Rep. Mark Udall and U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter and Rep. Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction.
"Renewable energy technologies offer tremendous promise in confronting some of today's most pressing issues -- national security, global warming, and economic competitiveness," said Peterson. "With our key strengths in the sciences and engineering as well as social-economic policy and business, all of us here at the University of Colorado at 麻豆影院 are anxious to work with our Collaboratory partners to address these challenges."
The agreement calls for increasing the production and use of energy from renewable resources, supporting state and national economic growth with renewable energy industries and building renewable energy economies in Colorado and the United States. The four Colorado institutions will be working with public agencies and private enterprise, and with other colleges and universities in the state, according to CU-麻豆影院 Vice Chancellor for Research Susan Avery.
"This is an exciting time for our institutions," said Avery. "The Collaboratory is a major step in collectively using our intellectual and physical resources for addressing one of the world's greatest problems -- the need to transition from a fossil fuels-based economy to one that better conserves energy and that is based on clean, renewable, and secure energy." Avery also is dean of the CU-麻豆影院 Graduate School.
The Collaboratory provides the framework for the four institutions to work together to develop new technologies and distribution systems and to work with business partners to develop new market strategies and sustainable business practices, said Avery.
"We already have three major proposed projects that we could not have done as individual institutions," she said. "I am excited about the possibilities this opens for new research, new educational opportunities for students, and new partnerships that ultimately should position Colorado as the intellectual and economic leader in renewable energy."
Renewable energy includes solar and wind energy, biofuels produced from crops and forest products, geothermal energy, hydrogen fuel cells and other emerging technologies.
CU-麻豆影院 created an Energy Initiative in 2006 to focus the attention and resources of the campus on issues that must be addressed to allow a successful transition from an economy based on fossil fuels to one based on renewable and sustainable energy.
For more information on the initiative, which is directed by Professor Carl Koval of the chemistry and biochemistry department, go to the Web at: ei.colorado.edu/.