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Colorado’s Clean Energy Research Cluster: COLORADO ENERGY RESEARCH COLLABORATORY A research collaboration of National Renewable Energy Laboratory Colorado School of Mines Colorado State University University of Colorado Boulder.
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Colorado’s Clean Energy Research Cluster:COLORADO ENERGY RESEARCH COLLABORATORY A research collaboration ofNational Renewable Energy LaboratoryColorado School of MinesColorado State University University of Colorado Boulder
Launched in 2007, the Collaboratory works with public and private partners to: • Create and commercialize renewable energy, clean energy, and energy efficiency technologies; • Build a clean energy economy for Colorado and our nation; • Educate future scientists and engineers for industry, academia, and the public sector.
Collaboratory Research Centers Existing: • Colorado Center for Biorefining & Biofuels—CU* • Center for Revolutionary Solar Photoconversion—Mines* • Center for Research & Education in Wind—CU* • Carbon Management Center – Mines* In Development: • Center for Energy Systems Integration – CSU* *lead institution
Examples of Industry Partners in Center Activities • C2B2: Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Cool Planet, Dow Chemical, DuPont, Gevo, Rentech, Shell Global Solutions, SundropFuels • CRSP: Abengoa Solar, General Motors, Sharp, Tokyo Electron, Total • CREW: Mitsubishi, RES Americas, Vestas, WindLogics • CMC: Cool Planet, NOAA, IHS
Center Operations • Each center led by representatives of all four institutions • “Lead Institution” • Administrative and fiscal management • One point of contact for industry members • Interagency agreements greatly simplify process for industry partners and institutions
Research Areas • Crop, Biochemical, Thermochemical, Process, Product and System Engineering related to: • Enzymes and catalysts • Woody and algal biomass as feedstock for biofuels • Membranes for production of biofuels • Solving challenges to “drop-in” biofuels • Solar conversion of biomass to syngas • Biochemicals for industrial and consumer products • Use of beetle killed timber as feedstock (CSU)
Research Areas • High efficiency, thin film photovoltaics • Non-toxic, abundant materials for photovoltaics • Novel nanostructures for photovoltaics • DOE funded Energy Frontier Research Center • Reducing cost of photovoltaic systems (NREL focus) • Photoconversion of H2 + C into liquid or gaseous fuel Expanded Partnerships • Research Corp. for Science Advancement (private institute) • University of Tokyo - RCAST
Research Areas • Atmospheric sciences • Turbine and wind farm modeling • Control of wind energy systems • Electrical systems and power converters • Turbine Testing • Materials for blades Policy, Education and Outreach • Creation of curricula for industry, undergraduate and graduate programs relevant to wind power
Carbon Management Center Research Areas • Carbon Capture Research • Flue gases from power and cement industries • Proposal to DOE: Fugitive emissions from natural gas operations; led by CMC - NOAA, Mines • CO2 Utilization – key to recovering cost of capture, storage • CO2 Storage – geologic and terrestrial • Quantify and assess greenhouse gas ‘footprints’ • $10M USDA grant: beetle kill as feedstock for synthetic gasoline, negative carbon impact; led by CSU, Cool Planet • Policy Analysis of Options and Impact - e.g., carbon taxes, carbon markets, clean development mechanisms
Research Areas ENERGY SYSTEMS INTEGRATION(In Development) • Increase grid integration of renewable power • Ensure the security and reliability of energy infrastructure • Protect and recover from failure or natural disaster • Cybersecurity • Achieve efficiencies through active management of systems at all levels, building to grid scales • Leverage ESIF (NREL) and InteGrid (CSU)