Difference between revisions of "NM CSETP"
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=== NMSU Southwest Technology Development Institute: Solar Power === | === NMSU Southwest Technology Development Institute: Solar Power === | ||
| − | The SWTDI is a non-profit, university-based organization that provides applied research and development services for private and public sector clients. SWTDI was established in 1977 as the New Mexico Solar Energy Institute, and has active research programs in energy and related systems. | + | The [https://ece.nmsu.edu/research/swtdi/%20https://ece.nmsu.edu/research/swtdi/ SWTDI] is a non-profit, university-based organization that provides applied research and development services for private and public sector clients. SWTDI was established in 1977 as the New Mexico Solar Energy Institute, and has active research programs in energy and related systems. |
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== Private Sector == | == Private Sector == | ||
Revision as of 07:06, 1 June 2020
Contents
- 1 The Need for Climate Science and Engineering Technology Partnership in NM
- 2 Areas of Research
- 3 Current R&D and Industry Initiatives in and around NM
- 3.1 Public Sector
- 3.1.1 NSTTF: Sandia National Thermal Test Facility
- 3.1.2 LANL: Biodegradable Plastics
- 3.1.3 NREL: Wind Energy
- 3.1.4 NM State Economic Development Department: 5 yr Plan
- 3.1.5 NMSU Interdisciplinary Center of Research Excellence in Design of Intelligent Technologies for Smart Grids Smart Grids
- 3.1.6 NMSU Southwest Technology Development Institute: Solar Power
- 3.2 Private Sector
- 3.1 Public Sector
The Need for Climate Science and Engineering Technology Partnership in NM
Building a New Economy for NM
New Mexico has relied on the Oil & Gas industry, primarily exploration and production in the Permian Basin, for as much as 46% of the state's budget. As renewable energies become cheaper and cheaper, fossil fuel energy becomes uneconomic much as coal already has (as of mid 2020). This will be a problem for New Mexico's state budget in year's to come. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic along with the collapsing price of oil in 2020 has made the financial situation imminent if not urgent.
New industries, new jobs and a rebuilt tax base is going to be essential and need to be urgently developed to replace the retraction of Oil & Gas. While New Mexico is an excellent state for solar and wind power, little if any of the equipment, infrastructure and service industries needed by these industries is hosted in New Mexico. As petro-sourced products become impractical, undesirable and environmentally problematic bio-sourced products will be needed. While early research suggests some substitutions are available, manufacturing costs are not yet economic. An R&D opportunity is then an opportunity for the current academic institutions and industrial enterprises to develop these technologies and solutions.
Appropriate R&D is often overlooked as a policy with the biggest impact on reversing global warming:
- “The climate change policy with the most potential is the most neglected” - VOX - David Roberts - Jul 11, 2019:
As R&D efforts become successful, there will be a growing need for Technology Transfer to commercialization and then widespread adoption. The needed steps while well known involve scaling up successes in the lab to successes at a pilot scale and then commercial scale. Widespread adoption becomes possible once these stages are complete, showing technical success, economic success and finally social acceptance. Some technologies, like energy storage, are already on this path and will need shepherding all the way to widespread adoption.
The state has a role in coordinating such efforts and the desperately need funding.
We propose that these activities be centered and coordinated by a New Mexico Center of Technical Excellence. The actual name is not important but a solid plan for the organization will be critical to its success and relevance in the international market place for green energy products and services.
This is actually a simple idea but with many underlying complications. How innovations are harnessed, how a NM technology hub or center is feasible, who participates, what is it's focus and how it might be funded are all questions that will need addressing.
On Innovation
The potential roles, improvements and innovations in renewable energy is discussed by IHS Markit and Energy Futures Initiative. They clearly emphasize the need for R&D. Some suggestions can be found in:
- “Advancing the Landscape of Energy Innovation” - Feb 2019, 229 pages
The concept of a technology hub is discussed in the book:
- Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth and the American Dream” – Johnathan Gruber & Simon Johnson, Public Affairs – April 9, 2019 368 pages
and on their website. However, since Albuquerque came in 53rd on their list of candidates for Top Technology Hubs there might be significant hurdles. The report also found that Santa Fe fails to meet these three criteria, while Los Alamos makes no appearance:
- House price upper bound $265,000
- Working Population lower bound, 100,000
- Percent College Grad lower bound 25%
The three parameters are meant to determine if there’s cheap (affordable) housing, a significant percentage of the population is well educated. The report cites Rochester, NY as the poster-child of the concept.
Observations on how New Mexico is positioned
It is generally considered that Research and Development at the state level is not where it needs to be. This is in spite of the presence of the two national laboratories where the focus is on national security issues.
The state departments of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, (Sarah Cotrell Propst) (EMNRD) and Economic Development Department, (EDD) have a potential coordination role, both internally and externally with participating industries and academia.
Among candidate academic institutions are the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NM Tech) and New Mexico State University (NMSU). NMSU with it's history as an Agriculture and Mechanical college has extension service missions that positions it well to participate.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grissom is reported to support in general the need to grow a replacement economy much less dependent on Oil & Gas.
As of September 2019 it didn't appear that NM had funds to spare for such a project, even with O&G revenues that were projected by some to last 10 yrs. By mid 2020 with the collapse of oil prices, funding becomes even more of a challenge.
Institutional Models
Some models of centers of technical excellence can be found. Sandia National Labs and Lawrence Livermore National Labs together have formed the Livermore Valley Open Campus – a university in Livermore, California. There research is funded, students are educated and nearby universities collaborate, though details need to be identified. [TODO]
It turns out that Sandia has research centers for PV, Wind and Storage, and a partnership program that may have resources. Sandia has a Technology Partnership with local industries in Albuquerque, see:
Areas of Research
As mentioned above, once petro-sourced raw materials and products become less sustainable, there is a clear need to find bio-sourced substitutions for an enormous number of businesses. Not enough is known on how to bio-source replacements, some can be grown and harvested directly such as fibers but some such as pharmaceuticals will still need to by synthesized to maintain a functioning health care system.
We need an advanced technology research and development center to make New Mexico a leader in these fields. With appropriate funding, we could search out experts in these sciences and technologies, grow them locally or get them to move to northern New Mexico in our own Research Triangle (Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Albuquerque)! Spinoff successes will create great job opportunities in solar powered pilot plant and manufacturing projects.
Petrochemical Substitutions
Much of modern civilization is built on the products from the oil and gas extractive industries. Plastics in protective equipment, supplies etc. are critical to a viable modern health care system. Trains, boats, planes and automobiles rely enormously on plastic parts of one kind or another. Lubricants based on mineral oils keep everything moving. Chemical dyes and paints color our world. Nylon fibers carpet our homes and clothe our bodies. In order to get off fossil fuels, leaving it in the ground will also starve the chemical industries for these products. We need alternatives, somethings that will substitute for feedstocks derived from oil and gas. 13% of petroleum is used in chemical manufacturing, i.e. not burned.
To begin with…
Natural rubber production (latex) worldwide in 2017 amounted to more than 13.5 million metric tons. Synthetic rubber production worldwide in 2017 amounted to some 15.05 million metric tons.
These natural fibers can be grown:
- sisal
- cotton
- seagrass
- jute
- silk
- coir
- wool
- flax
Natural polymers/plastics can be made by fermentation
- polyhydroxybutyrate-valerate, or PHBV – made in a bacteria/fermentation process
Bio-lubricants can be derived from vegetable oils
- Bio-lubricants are derived from vegetable oils and other renewable sources. They usually are triglyceride esters (fats obtained from plants and animals. For lubricant base oil use, the vegetable derived materials are preferred.
Renewable energies will be needed to run the processes that will convert these sources into commercial products. Successful leaders in these industries will probably make a killing! Development times tho’ can take decades so starting now may not be too late.
Renewable Energy Efficiencies
[TODO]
Regenerative Agriculture Solutions
[TODO]
Current R&D and Industry Initiatives in and around NM
Public Sector
NSTTF: Sandia National Thermal Test Facility
(see website)
LANL: Biodegradable Plastics
See bio-polymer research at Los Alamos as reported in the Santa Fe New Mexican:
- "Using algae to try and solve the plastic problem" - Santa Fe New Mexican - Babetta L. Marrone - July 7, 2019
NREL: Wind Energy
Under the US Department of Energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has a focus on 16 research areas from Advance Manufacturing to Wind energy. See:
For their Mission and Programs see:
The labs are located in Golden, CO with the National Wind Technology Center near Boulder, CO and office in Washington, DC.
NM State Economic Development Department: 5 yr Plan
Under Gov. Susana Martinez administration, see:
NMSU Interdisciplinary Center of Research Excellence in Design of Intelligent Technologies for Smart Grids Smart Grids
The CREST Interdisciplinary Center of Research Excellence in Design of Intelligent Technologies for Smart Grids (iCREDITS) was established at New Mexico State University in 2014, with a grant awarded from the National Science Foundation.
NMSU Southwest Technology Development Institute: Solar Power
The SWTDI is a non-profit, university-based organization that provides applied research and development services for private and public sector clients. SWTDI was established in 1977 as the New Mexico Solar Energy Institute, and has active research programs in energy and related systems.
Private Sector
Energy Vault Inc.
[TODO]
Locally Grown Power
Plan to build solar panel factories in NM and service oppressed communities.
[TODO]
Jetstream Energy Technologies: Clean Energy
The company focuses on the development of cost-effective reliable solutions for the generation/creation of electricity, clean water, and hydrogen as fuel or for industrial processes.
Microgrid Systems Laboratory: Clean Energy
A collaborative effort by a range of global leaders in electricity delivery, R&D, manufacturing, standards, education, regulation, and systems integration, MSL’s mission is to accelerate the transition to a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable energy system worldwide.
Possible contact: David Breaker
Technology Ventures Corporation: Closed
From Mar 29, 2017
“Lockheed Martin Corp. formed TVC as a nonprofit foundation in 1993 tasked with helping entrepreneurs take their inventions from inside the labs to the commercial marketplace. Over the years, TVC has helped create more than 13,500 new jobs, 121 new companies and has played a role in stimulating more than $1.2 billion in venture capital for New Mexico startups, according to Kramer.”
Energy Related Devices
From the website:
Robert Hockaday has two technologies at the top of the revolutionary change-in-energy-generation queue:
- A Micro Fuel Cell™ technology
- A Solar Cell Technology
Contact info:
Energy Related Devices, Inc. 10275 State Hwy 104, Tucumcari NM 88401-9315 Phone: (575)-461-9814 FAX: (575)-461-9814 Cell: (505)-470-6094
Email us at energyrd@aol.com
[Information may not have been updated since 2010.]
