CAES pushes earnings 41.9 million

The Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) boasted an 11-1 return of the 1.6 million that Idaho taxpayers invested this year.  The center pushed their total earnings to 41.9 million, with 18.2 million earned in competitive grants, and other funding. 

 

The CAES is owned by the state but it is also part of the Idaho State University as well the Idaho National Laboratory.  It is also in collaboration with Boise State University and University of Idaho.

"CAES is a great example of what the Idaho universities and Idaho National Laboratory can accomplish by working together," Governor Otter said.

In 2011 an economist from ISU estimated that the center created around 366 jobs.  This certainly adds a hopeful light on the current 9% unemployment rate in Idaho.  

For a state that provides itself on being financially efficient this project is turning out a great profit, and is leading to more research and development.  One of the projects that will be funded will be a way to recover uranium from seawater.  Total the researchers at the Center earned more than 25 different grants and competitive awards.  

“I think one of the things that makes it so successful is that theres a lot of people with a lot passion and a lot of talent,” said David Solan CAES Boise State University Co-Director. 

"The CAES partnership has proven to be a great investment for taxpayers, and you're going to see more of that kind of collaborative public-private effort from my administration in the years to come,” said Governor Otter. 

The CAES director Bill Rogers discussed what a great year it was for the center. 

In regards to the five million dollars in grants awarded to CAES by the U.S. Department of Energy, "Winning these grants illustrates the power of collaboration and what the CAES partners can achieve by working together," said Bill Rogers, CAES director.  The grants will fund research in solar energy, energy efficiency, and geothermal energy. 

At a point in history when the impact of burning fossil fuels as well as the future reliability the importance of research in alternative energy sources has escalated. Idaho is making an impact on this new development and this new phase in renewable energy sources.