University of Toledo seeks to create campus for alternative energy

February 25, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

TOLEDO (AP) — Fast becoming a hub for solar research, the University of Toledo now wants to create a separate campus that would focus only on alternative energy.

School leaders are hoping to use federal stimulus money to make the change and think dedicating one campus toward solar, wind and new energy research could make the university stand out in the field.

“If we do seize the moment, we can elevate our stature,” said Frank Calzonetti, the school’s vice president of research development.

The area the school wants to transform is just a few miles away from its main campus. Now known as the Scott Park Campus, it has several academic buildings and also is home to a public high school where students can take college classes.

It also once housed a community and technical college.

Creating a new Center for Energy Innovation will cost at least $50 million, said Chuck Lehnert, UT’s vice president for facilities and construction.

“This would be a campus that would do nothing but work on renewables, alternatives and sustainable energies,” he said.

Toledo President Lloyd Jacobs said the university has asked for $75 million in federal stimulus money for the project. “We think it’s a good shot,” he said.

The idea had been in discussion, but the potential of receiving money from the stimulus plan sped up the process.

Few, if any, schools are setting aside an entire campus to focus on alternative energy. Yet there are similar setups.

Ohio State University’s Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster has classes and research that focus on agriculture, horticulture and the environment.

At Toledo, solar research has emerged as one of its best-known programs, attracting top researchers and helping several new companies get off the ground.

The university is working to establish a new school for such research and instruction.

A school would help bring together top faculty and build on the university’s development of companies, Calzonetti said.

“We need to be aggressive and maintain our leadership position,” he said.