On April 24, 2008, researchers and business
leaders joined forces to discuss ways to further energy-related research in Ohio and the nation.The second annual University Clean Energy
Alliance of Ohio (UCEAO) workshop and conference focused on identifying
opportunities for universities to work with the business community to solve
problems related to advanced energy. The
event, held at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Columbus,
also provided a forum for Ohio’s research
institutions and businesses to forge relationships and continue an
interdisciplinary discussion about how to promote and enhance energy research
in Ohio.
Scott
Miller, Director of Energy and Environmental Programs at Ohio University’s
Consortium for Energy, Economics and the Environment (CE3) and the Voinovich
School of Leadership and Public Affairs, chaired the workshop. He said that the workshop demonstrates the
next step in a statewide dialogue about how to develop advanced energy in Ohio.Miller remarked that, “Ohio’s research universities are already
doing cutting-edge energy research. By
working together with the business community, this research can play a role in
helping Ohio
take advantage of new economic opportunities related to advanced energy.”
The
event kicked off with William F. Tyndall, Managing Director of Asset Management
Services at NatSource LLC out of New York City,
giving a keynote address entitled “A National Perspective on Green Energy Investment
in Ohio.” Funding is necessary to commercialize new
technologies and new research. According
to Tyndall, "those with the innovative ideas that offer real solutions to
our nation's energy problems will be the winners in the investment game. I commend Ohio's
University Alliance for bringing together researchers and business leaders who,
together, can help Ohio's
ideas get out of the lab and into the marketplace."
Also addressing
the group was Kei Koizumi, Director of the R&D Budget and Policy Program
for the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He talked about the Federal Energy Research
and Development (R&D) Budget for federal fiscal year 2009. Federal R&D funding has played a key role
in the development of existing advanced energy technologies – and will continue
to play an important role in the future.
In addition to
Tyndall and Koizumi, attendees heard from a panel of leaders in new energy
businesses and had an opportunity to share their ideas and discuss possible
research opportunities in a series of breakout sessions. The breakout sessions, which were led by
industry leaders and other advanced energy experts, included discussions on topics such as wind,
solar, biomass and biofuels, clean coal, fuel cells, carbon control and
management, energy efficiency, transportation, electric generation and
transmission, and the development of a renewable energy supply chain in
Ohio.
The University
Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio was formed to promote Ohio’s leadership in advanced energy. According to Michael Zimmer, a current
Executive-in-Residence at the Voinovich
School and energy expert from
Thompson-Hine, LLP out of Washington, DC, "the involvement of CE3 and the Voinovich School
in the University Clean Energy Alliance builds on the work that has already
been done at Ohio
University to promote
interdisciplinary research and to impact the region and State. Ohio
has an opportunity to build on its strengths - such as applied research, materials
science, manufacturing, agriculture, and supply and logistics - and create a
new advanced energy economy. Dialogues
like those taking place at the UCEAO event will help make that possible."
For more information on the UCEAO and the workshop,
please visit www.uceao.org. For more information on CE3 and the Voinovich School, you can go to www.ce3.ohio.edu and www.voinovichschool.ohio.edu.