In the meantime, setting focus on deployment

Given that creation of new companies based on university research isn't easy in the best of times, and given that increased investment in research at Nevada universities might not pay off for years, Jim Croce suggests that the state look at a plan to create faster results.

Croce, executive director of the Nevada Institute for Renewable Energy Commercialization, proposes that Nevada position itself as the international center of expertise in the deployment of geothermal, solar, wind and other renewable energy systems.

Nevada's abundant renewable resources are well-known.

The state's proximity to California markets as well as its own requirements for utilities to use a growing amount of energy produced by renewable resources helps create a market, Croce says.

The third element in his plan, Croce says, is this: Nevada's labor force has abundant experience in building things, including very large projects. Its engineers, architects, project planners and construction workers could be trained as experts in the planning and deployment of renewables projects.

And that expertise, he believes, could be exported around the world.