For a second year in a row, UNLV recently co-hosted the National Clean Energy Summit, at which government and industry leaders, scientists, policy experts, and citizens gathered to discuss renewable energy issues facing the U.S. and the world.

The day-long summit, which was co-sponsored by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the Center for American Progress Action Fund, included presentations by national leaders from a variety of sectors seeking to advance clean energy initiatives.

Speakers included former President Bill Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, energy executive T. Boone Pickens, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, and others.

Following this year’s summit, UNLV held its third annual Renewable Energy Symposium on campus as well. Presented by UNLV’s Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies and the Division of Research and Graduate Studies, this symposium focused on renewable energy technologies deployable in Nevada, the Southwest, and across the nation.

Presenters discussed research related to sustainability and renewable energy; concentrated solar-thermal and solar photovoltaic designs; biofuels and bio-energy; fuel cell and hydrogen storage technologies; enhanced geothermal systems; new building technologies; and more.

Renewable energy is one of several sustainability-oriented areas of research expertise at UNLV.