Energy Collaboratory establishes solar R&D center
The newest research center of the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory aims to find ways to directly convert the sun's energy to low-cost electricity and fuels.
The Center for Revolutionary Solar Photoconversion (CRSP), announced on April 21, 2008 by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, and the Collaboratory at the Capitol, will be dedicated to basic and applied research at the Collaboratory's four member institutions, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Colorado School of Mines (CSM), Colorado State University (CSU), and the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder).
Twelve companies also have joined CRSP as founding members, Applied Materials, Ascent Solar Technologies, DuPont, Evident Technologies, Konarka, Lockheed Martin, Motech Industries, QuantumSphere, Sharp, Solasta, Sub-One Technology, and SunEdison.
"With this new solar energy research center, the Collaboratory will achieve the same successes it is currently making with its biofuels center," said Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. "The Collaboratory is once again demonstrating that Colorado’s intellectual capital is unmatched by any other state in the country. The Collaboratory is a vital pillar in Colorado’s New Energy Economy and is helping Colorado become an international leader in modern, sustainable energy.”
NREL Senior Research Fellow Arthur Nozik will serve as scientific director of CRSP. Co-directors are CU's David Jonas, CSU's Mike Elliott and CSM's Craig Taylor. "The creation of CRSP is the culmination of a two-year effort to form such a visionary R&D center devoted to revolutionary solar energy science and technology in Colorado," Nozik said. "It brings together many researchers at NREL, CU, CSU, and CSM in public-private partnership between state and federally funded institutions and private corporations."
Initial shared research projects will be selected by CRSP members and funded through membership fees and the Colorado Renewable Energy Authority. Decisions about which projects to fund are expected in the summer, with research beginning in the fall. In addition to shared research, CRSP's sponsored research program will allow any company member to contract with one or more of the research institutions directly.
“Only one year after its inception, the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory has quickly established itself as the model for renewable energy research and development," said U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar. "Through its unique partnership of private companies and public research institutions, the Collaboratory serves as a vivid example of the fact that we work best when we work together. I welcome the announcement of the Center for Revolutionary Solar Photoconversion, which will help lay the foundation for a clean energy future fueled by a new generation of solar energy technologies.”
This is the second center created by the Collaboratory, after the Colorado Center for Biorefining and Biofuels. The Collaboratory expects to announce additional centers in wind energy, carbon management, and energy efficiency.
About the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory
The Collaboratory works with public agencies, private enterprise, nonprofit institutions, and all of Colorado's universities and colleges to:
- Increase the production and use of energy from renewable resources like wind energy, solar energy, and biofuels
- Support economic growth in Colorado and the nation with renewable energy industries
- Build a renewable energy economy in rural Colorado and rural America
- Establish Colorado as America's leading center of renewable energy research and production
- Educate our nation's finest energy researchers, technicians, and workforce