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The University of Maine faculty is asking the federal government to fund energy grant institutions in an effort to accelerate alternative energy research, per a proposal unanimously approved during the Jan. 28 Faculty Senate meeting.
The proposal suggests the federal government give energy grant status to leading public research universities nationwide. Energy grant institutions would receive grants and support for research and alternative energy projects. In return for the investment, the government would share income from patents and licensed alternative energy products with the universities.
UMaine physics and astronomy professor James McClymer presented the proposal to the Faculty Senate on Dec. 19.
“What would be better than universities as a source of ideas?” McClymer said.
“By working together, we might really put the brainpower of the country into stopping some of our energy issues,” said Faculty Senate President Dianne Hoff.
Grant energy institutions could foster competition and collaboration. The universities would conduct research, assist industries with incorporating new energy technology, and serve as a model of sustainability by treating their campuses as “test beds” by implementing new energy technology.
“In my opinion, that’s exactly the kind of thing the nation and our schools need. It’s a proven way to get effective funding to a productive research and development source. . Investing is needed, just as Obama is planning, but targeted investment in our schools for energy development will benefit everyone. It’s a win, win, win,” said Student Senator Nate Wildes, a first-year political science student.
Wildes plans to introduce a resolution to the General Student Senate to endorse the proposal.
McClymer began drafting the proposal in October 2008 after reading “Energy Future: Think Efficiency” in the American Physical Society.
“It became clear to me that energy issues and how we respond to them will determine the kind of future we all have. One of the best ways to harness out intellectual capital would be to organize our universities to work on the problems,” McClymer said in an e-mail.
McClymer worked on the proposal with Hoff and Graduate School Dean Dan Sandweiss. Hoff e-mailed the resolution to every member of the faculty before the January Faculty Senate meeting and received several e-mails that expressed support and offered suggestions.
According to Hoff, the next step is to move the proposal through the political and academic arenas to engender support nationwide.
“I think the spirit of the idea is a good one. Obviously with our new administration – the Obama administration – there is a lot of emphasis on new energy sources [and] transforming our whole energy supply as we know it. The climate impacts of our energy use is just one of the many reasons,” said Sen. Karl Kreutz, professor of earth science and climate change.
UMaine is conducting research on onshore and offshore wind and geothermal, tidal and renewable, forest-based energies.
“The university is doing wonderful things right now with wind power and offshore resources. . If we could get organized and get a clearer path to federal funding agencies, it would be a great benefit,” said Sen. Daniel Belknap, professor of earth and marine sciences.
McClymer thinks this will be a great opportunity for UMaine. An energy grant would fund new degree programs and cutting-edge research.
“It could have pieces everywhere in the curriculum,” McClymer said.
Hoff will send letters asking support from other land grant campuses. She thinks if more campuses are advocating for the resolution, it will be more effective on the federal level. She will also send letters through the university’s state legislative contacts and work with campus researchers involved in energy research who are well connected to nationwide efforts.
“If [students] want to contact legislators, legislators like to hear from students in particular,” McClymer said.
“Trying to get it into the right hands so it’s really given some good consideration is really key to the success at this point,” Hoff said. “I am going to try to have everything ready and in the mail this weekend. I think the faster we move on this, the better.”
