Enhancing Job Creation
Opportunities in Renewable Energy at
UNLV
R. Boehm
Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineeing
Director of the Center for Energy Research
UNLV CER
EXHIBIT J Senate Committee SCEGE
Select Committee on Economic Growth & Employment
Date:
J-1
3-9-11
Page
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Several Thrusts
 Formal educational programs
 Minor in Solar and Renewable Energy
 Graduate Certificate Program in Solar and

Renewable Energy
Undergraduate design classes (many have
involved renewable energy designs)
 Undergraduate and graduate research
 Some of these are on new approaches
 Some involve actual commercial hardware
 Placing graduates in companies and
government
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Possible Student Paths for
Renewable Energy Jobs at UNLV
CER
Students
UNLV
Business
Government
Academics
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Minor in Solar and Renewable
Energy
 Initiated under a grant from NV Energy
 Applies to undergraduate programs
 Can be taken with any major at the university
 One of two paths depending upon student’s
major
 Nontechnical majors have one path
 Technical majors have another

Numerical history shown below
Semester
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Number of Students
J-4
F09 (Start)
Su10
Sp11
43
69
84
Minor: Technical Path
 Core Classes (15 credits)
 Introduction to Solar Energy Utilization
 Introduction to Environmental Science
 Photovoltaic Systems and Devices
 Sizing of solar energy systems
 One of two sustainable buildings courses
 Electives (6-8 credits)
 Selected courses in Chemistry, Electrical
Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering
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Minor: Non-Technical Path
 Core Classes (9 credits)
 Introduction to Solar Energy Utilization
 Introduction to Environmental Science
 One of two sustainable building courses
 Electives (12 credits)
 Selected choices of courses in topics like
Global Warming, Climate Change,
Environmental Law, Environmental History,
and several choices related to policy courses
in Political Science
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Graduate Certificate Offerings
 Patterned after undergraduate minor in
Solar and Renewable Energy
 Some courses have periods where a
student can focus on a problem of her/his
choosing
 Specialized courses are offered many
times to cater to student needs or faculty
special interests.
 There are few regular courses tuned
specifically to this area. See next slide.
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Graduate Offerings (Continued)
 One such course offered periodically is
“Computational Aspects of Solar Energy.”
 Focuses on estimating output of solar systems
using hourly climatic data and sizing of
systems to achieve a given output
 Primarily student generated codes
 Some relevant commercial codes are used
also
 Involves formal reporting by students
 Another course deals with fuel cells: their theory,
design and operation
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Actual Experience
 UNLV is involved in several renewable energy projects.
 The Center for Energy Research (my affiliation) attracts
approx $1-2M in externally-funded research each year.
 Employs both undergraduate and graduate students in
accomplishing the research.
 Staff numbers range from 15-30 depending upon
funding.
 Students can apply the research either for thesis or
independent study, in addition to being paid.
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Some Recent/Current Projects
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Roof-UNLV
Eng’g Bldg

Some Impacts on the State
When operations at UNLV started in current form in the
late 1990s, very little was taking place in the state on solar
energy. Now we have state of the art facilities (none paid
by state or university funds) available to support industry.
UNLV Solar Site on Flamingo Road
Site in Eldorado Valley
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Solargenix/Acciona Solar
Original test project with
UNLV, circa 2003

We have worked with Acciona for almost 10
years, prior to them installing Nevada Solar One
near Boulder City.

They now have their main office located in
Henderson.

Several former UNLV students work there.
Power plant today
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Some Impacts on the State

We initiated work with Amonix, a California
company, in the first part of the last decade.

They now have set up a fabrication plant in
North Las Vegas.
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Some Impacts on the State

We were part of a team invited by a Chinese
battery company to visit China and present
opportunities that Nevada offers. They are
now setting up operations in Las Vegas.
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Some Job Functions by Company

System Installer–Primarily Field Type Positions. A large
project means many trades-people a short time.

Equipment Manufacturing, Assembly. Primarily trades-people
on a more permanent basis and some business people
required.

Equipment and/or System Designer. High tech background
needed and some business people required.

Basic Product Development. High tech background needed
and business people required. Note: These companies are
very choosy about where they locate.
Comments: All need an educated workforce. Most could
be foreign as well as domestic companies, but the second
and third bullets are more probable for new foreign thrusts.
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Need for Education
Education is needed for two reasons:

Of course it will be extremely critical for
training of the necessary skills and
knowledge for the actual workforce. An
undesirable alternative is that large
installations will find out-of-state workers
being imported on a short term basis.

A good educational system is also critical to
improve the quality of life that is also critical
for attracting companies.
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Thanks for your attention
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