Clusters of Activity
Primary Goal of the Clusters of Activity
A primary goal of the University of Minnesota's Initiative on Renewable Energy and the Environment (IREE) is to harness the strengths of University expertise and, along with public and private partners, apply them to creative solutions in renewable energy. The success of the IREE will be dependent on the organization and deployment of our faculty expertise around clusters of activities leading to significant impacts at the "project" level. Fostering an environment where multi- and interdisciplinary thinking and projects can easily occur will be the key to accomplishing this goal.
Download a detailed description of the IREE Clusters.
Cluster Criteria
Multi-disciplinary composition and emphasis.
It is expected that all clusters foster multi-disciplinary collaboration. Ideally, these collaborations should include interactions with faculty among various disciplines, and other IREE clusters, with multiple University of Minnesota colleges and campuses, and with external partners from the private and public sectors. Collaborations with faculty from other public and private educational institutions are also encouraged.
Focus on significant, unique, or potential University academic strengths.
Faculty with significant activities and funding opportunities in fields relevant to this initiative should collaborate to identify areas in which the University of Minnesota has a distinct or potential competitive or comparative advantage over other university or private sector renewable energy initiatives.
Reflection of IREE and University of Minnesota mission.
Scholarly activities proposed and conducted by IREE clusters shall be consistent with the IREE mission and the University of Minnesota mission areas of research, outreach/technology transfer, and education.
Identification and incorporation of external partnerships.
Strong and significant partnerships are integral to the success of IREE and are encouraged. Clusters should aggressively seek and incorporate partners from industry, government, and other community resources.
Focus on key short- and long-term issues, challenges, and opportunities.
IREE's portfolio of scholarship should be diverse. IREE clusters should identify critical gaps and be focused on the highest priority community and market needs. Efforts should include research on emerging technologies as well as applied science, education, and demonstration to support development of under-deployed, proven technologies. Short- and long-term projects should be included.
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The Importance of Demonstration Projects
The IREE is committed to demonstrating the applicability of new and emerging renewable energy technologies. As these technologies, practices, and approaches are being developed, pilot/demonstration projects in both the public and private sectors will be an integral consideration. These projects will also be utilized to explore applied research questions and optimize the technologies involved.
The proposed University of Minnesota Renewable Energy Demonstration Center at Morris is a prime example of how University of Minnesota facilities and expertise can be capitalized upon to move emerging technologies into the market place.
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