Innovate Texas Foundation joined the Texas Tech University System and The Wind Alliance to announce the formation of the National Institute for Renewable Energy (NIRE), an independent public-private collaboration that will work to "solve key scientific and technology challenges facing the wind power industry."

NIRE will operate for-profit business components that will design, construct and operate research wind farms. These farms will generate power to be sold in the commercial marketplace, with a portion of the revenue going to fund a non-profit research center. The organization will also provide services to industry partners and offer an industry consortium, which will be managed by The Wind Alliance. Start-up funding for NIRE has been derived from many of the economic development organizations in West Texas.

Organizational planning and support for the initiative was provided by Innovate Texas Foundation, a non-profit institution that serves as a catalyst for collaborations and transactions among universities, industry, investors, communities and government.

[source: Innovate Texas Foundation]