I was surprised to learn that “energy innovation epicenter” not only made the list as a goal in Mesa County’s draft economic development plan, but that it is at the very top of the list.
Why? There are many reasons, but the most obvious starting point seems to be with the US Dept. of Energy Office of Science’s 56-page report “Science for our Nation’s Energy Future: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC)” published only last month that identifies the 46 EFRC’s and their 115 partners (comprised mostly of research universities) located in 35 states across the nation –- with Federal funding of $2-$5 million already committed per center per year for each of the 46 EFRC’s. These 46 EFRC’s were identified back in 2009 and are comprised of research universities, national laboratories, nonprofit organizations, and private industry.
Colorado has one of the EFRC’s, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, and two of the partner institutions, University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State University Fort Collins. We are an innovative community, that goes without saying, and I’m a staunch advocate of big progressive ideas, and I certainly recognize the importance of a little risk-taking (as all of you who read and supported Grand Valley Magazine in print know), but those ideas and calculated risks should at least have some basis in sound research and potential viability. (And even then, as with GV Magazine, there are no guarantees.)
The research and development taking place across the EFRC’s and partners range from advanced solar energy, nanotechnology, high-intensity light sources, neutron scattering sources, biofuels, transportation, energy efficiency, electricity storage and transmission, carbon capture and sequestration, and nuclear energy. Most of these advanced technologies have been in research and development by the 46 EFRC’s and their 115 partner institutions for decades, which means they are already well established as “energy innovation epicenters.” I am eager to learn how our leadership expects to compete in this particular innovation arena. Just because we have energy natural resources in Western Colorado, does not mean we are innovating with those resources in a way that justifies the investment it would take to truly make the map, so to speak –- certainly not when compared to those established EFRC’s and partners.
The only thing I can think of that might cause our community’s economic development leadership to pose such a gargantuan goal of Mesa County as an “energy innovation epicenter” is perhaps they have some secret insight about it as a potential opportunity that the rest of us –- including the US Dept. of Energy – are completely clueless about.
Further, since Mesa State College President Tim Foster has made it quite clear that Colorado Mesa University will not be positioned or marketed as a research university, then what or who will serve as the nucleus of the proposed epicenter? “We are a teaching university that does some research, not a research university,” he said.
The County’s Economic Development Partners, comprised of 20 local organizations , drafted the plan with input from local businesses. I can’t help but wonder if any serious research was done prior to drafting the plan, or if the plan is based merely on opinion surveys. Or perhaps, the partners truly are holding to some secret revolutionary energy innovation that will prompt an entire mid-stream redirect of the nation’s energy innovation priorities. I am hoping that is the case!
There is a public meeting this Wednesday, June 29 from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at Mesa State College/Colorado Mesa University ballroom of the college center to discuss “thoughts and ideas as we all work together toward this goal,” according to Grand Junction Economic Partnership interim director Kelly Marlin in her article in Sunday’s (6-26-11) Daily Sentinel. I can only assume they will either announce the big revolutionary innovation secret, or reveal how they plan to raise the millions of dollars needed each year to fund it, as well as the specific energy innovation priority they have in mind. No matter what, this forum should prove quite interesting indeed!
To learn more, visit:
http://www.nrel.gov/
http://science.energy.gov/bes/efrc/
Why? There are many reasons, but the most obvious starting point seems to be with the US Dept. of Energy Office of Science’s 56-page report “Science for our Nation’s Energy Future: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC)” published only last month that identifies the 46 EFRC’s and their 115 partners (comprised mostly of research universities) located in 35 states across the nation –- with Federal funding of $2-$5 million already committed per center per year for each of the 46 EFRC’s. These 46 EFRC’s were identified back in 2009 and are comprised of research universities, national laboratories, nonprofit organizations, and private industry.
Colorado has one of the EFRC’s, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, and two of the partner institutions, University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State University Fort Collins. We are an innovative community, that goes without saying, and I’m a staunch advocate of big progressive ideas, and I certainly recognize the importance of a little risk-taking (as all of you who read and supported Grand Valley Magazine in print know), but those ideas and calculated risks should at least have some basis in sound research and potential viability. (And even then, as with GV Magazine, there are no guarantees.)
The research and development taking place across the EFRC’s and partners range from advanced solar energy, nanotechnology, high-intensity light sources, neutron scattering sources, biofuels, transportation, energy efficiency, electricity storage and transmission, carbon capture and sequestration, and nuclear energy. Most of these advanced technologies have been in research and development by the 46 EFRC’s and their 115 partner institutions for decades, which means they are already well established as “energy innovation epicenters.” I am eager to learn how our leadership expects to compete in this particular innovation arena. Just because we have energy natural resources in Western Colorado, does not mean we are innovating with those resources in a way that justifies the investment it would take to truly make the map, so to speak –- certainly not when compared to those established EFRC’s and partners.
The only thing I can think of that might cause our community’s economic development leadership to pose such a gargantuan goal of Mesa County as an “energy innovation epicenter” is perhaps they have some secret insight about it as a potential opportunity that the rest of us –- including the US Dept. of Energy – are completely clueless about.
Further, since Mesa State College President Tim Foster has made it quite clear that Colorado Mesa University will not be positioned or marketed as a research university, then what or who will serve as the nucleus of the proposed epicenter? “We are a teaching university that does some research, not a research university,” he said.
The County’s Economic Development Partners, comprised of 20 local organizations , drafted the plan with input from local businesses. I can’t help but wonder if any serious research was done prior to drafting the plan, or if the plan is based merely on opinion surveys. Or perhaps, the partners truly are holding to some secret revolutionary energy innovation that will prompt an entire mid-stream redirect of the nation’s energy innovation priorities. I am hoping that is the case!
There is a public meeting this Wednesday, June 29 from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at Mesa State College/Colorado Mesa University ballroom of the college center to discuss “thoughts and ideas as we all work together toward this goal,” according to Grand Junction Economic Partnership interim director Kelly Marlin in her article in Sunday’s (6-26-11) Daily Sentinel. I can only assume they will either announce the big revolutionary innovation secret, or reveal how they plan to raise the millions of dollars needed each year to fund it, as well as the specific energy innovation priority they have in mind. No matter what, this forum should prove quite interesting indeed!
To learn more, visit:
http://www.nrel.gov/
http://science.energy.gov/bes/efrc/
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