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Officials: Nevada can become leader in clean-energy technology
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John Gurznski/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Ian Rogoff, chairman of the Nevada Institute for Renewable Energy Commercialization, addresses the crowd during a meeting Thursday at the Desert Research Institute. » Buy this photo
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Jul. 29, 2011 | 9:41 a.m.
Nevada can become a clean-energy technology leader, a nonprofit energy group official suggested Thursday, if it can get the innovation that's here, but languishing, to market.
The Nevada Institute for Renewable Energy Commercialization met Thursday at the Desert Research Institute to showcase businesspeople and companies developing clean and renewable energy technology in the valley and state. The NV Energy Foundation on Thursday issued a $25,000 grant to help the institute's push to accelerate clean-energy technology developed at universities, labs and small businesses.
The utility is also involved in the 5-year-old institute's innovation partner program.
NIREC Chairman Ian Rogoff said Nevada's chance is big and close at hand. Research from venture capital firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers, he said, found last year that just four of the top 30 companies in wind, solar and energy storage come from the United States. A buyout since the study, he said, has reduced that number to three.
"The issue we've got is not just a Nevada issue, the innovation languishing in our research institutions, the innovations not making it to market for so many reasons, is a United States issue as well," Rogoff said. "As we look at this opportunity, please remember that we've got this innovation sitting in UNLV ... at DRI, we've got it at (the University of Nevada, Reno). We've got work-force development opportunities at all the community colleges and we're letting it languish."
Rogoff said as NIREC works "upstream" -- speeding clean-energy technology development -- it also works "downstream" -- getting those energy transmission assets into the ground. Both efforts produce jobs, he said: science and engineering jobs upstream; legal, engineering and project finance jobs downstream.
NIREC Vice President of Operations Li Han Chan said her organization is working to enable long-coveted diversification that will strengthen Nevada's economy in the long term. Nevada, she said, can follow the example of other states that have broadened their economies with innovation.
Presenters on Thursday included K2 Energy, a Henderson-based lithium-ion battery maker; Microalgae Biofuel, a UNLV initiative optimizing the growth of microalgae for wastewater treatment and other applications; May-Ruben Technologies, a company with operations in Las Vegas and Calgary, Alberta, that develops ejector refrigeration systems that use environmentally benign refrigerants; and the Desert Research Institute, which discussed a solar-installation tracking device that can improve the efficiency of existing concentrated solar systems.
Encouragingly for NIREC, Thursday's 100-person crowd had people with the clout and means to spur progress, such as officials from NV Energy, SCORE, the Vegas Valley Angels and State Sen. Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, a noted renewable-energy advocate.
Rogoff asked attendees to spread his group's message and mission. This information sharing is critical, he said, because energy efforts require, well, energy.
"This is not social networking, energy doesn't work in your dorm room," Rogoff said. "You cannot go upload a website and have a million users overnight."
Contact reporter Matthew Crowley at mcrowley@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0304.
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vegaslee - We certainly do to have a sure-fire, guaranteed suggestion that would make Nevada (anywhere) a significantly better place to live, immediately kick out all lawyers! Sure, it’s not perfect, but it’s a great start!
Anyone else notice that no matter what "idea" someone comes up with in this state the same group of posters/trolls will bash it each and every time. Now not a one of them have any ideas at all how to make Nevada a better place to live but they will be the fist to attack anyone that wants to or tries to. I am thinking we need a fund raiser to buy bus tickets to all those that don't want to live here anymore. One way, any place you want to go. Oscar.Jones, you would still be buying your power from NVEngery. You don't buy from the solar farms. Before attacking get your facts right.
(throw?)
Yeah..let's put in a line of those bird chopping blades across the valley... the Chop-O-Matic wind power machine! "it dices, it slices, it cuts through anything flying!"
But WAIT! There's more! For only 30 years of EZ payments we can have power whenever the wind blows..but not when it doesn't! AND if you buy in TODAY we'll through in a FREE CONGRESSMAN!
That's right--your very own congressman. Just place money in its pocket and TELL IT WHAT TO DO!
ORDER today!
Representatives from the "noted renewable-energy advocacy group" Nevada Energy were in addendance? That's reassurring!
If we had several large Wind Farms on the Northmost end of the valley, where it is windy 80% of the year, we could generate oodles of Electricity. But that would mean, Electrical consumers would be needing less of NV Energy's services. So they would raise their rates to recoup lost profit margins. This scam is the same as the Water District telling us all to conserve water. And, when we do, and our costs drop, the Water District raises their rates to cover losses. These monopolies aren't the least bit interested in conserving energy. It would upset their Stockholders and CEO's if Profits dropped. Scam Scam Scam
If we can harness the bovine secretions these clowns produce our energy problems would be solved.
This is not social networking--it's social engineering!...
Of course..it is were competitively priced, we wouldn't need the latter part would we?
Darn economics!
"...if it can get the innovation that's here, but languishing, to market...."
Mmnn..lots of unused languishing innovation in Nevada--clearly.
We don't languish in raising energy prices though--do we?
Anyone getting that "rational" feeling yet? No!? Another round of price increase for YOU!
We'll just turn your thermostat down remotely as soon as the "smart grid" is finished..then you'll get on board--or else!
what's amazing is that since the federal land is plentiful, how can a solar project not be "competitively" priced ? only issues might be some local yokel requirement for a "prevailing wage", american citizens only labor. and of course the eco saps that automatically sue to stop any desperately needed infrastructure. if the best deal is for chinese or third world engineers & laborers to manufacture, design and install an offshore manufactured solar array, go for it. weren't the chinese imported to install much of the u.s. railroad track ? again, with free land, some legitimate fast track permitting, and imported equipment, such projects should become profitable. after all, that's the purpose isn't it, to reduce petroleum importation ? if the plans & equipment *have* to be engineered and installed by u.s. companies, then the product is just another monorail. or a harry "the war is lost" reid's, fast train to nowhere.