Who We Are

The Soutwest Technology Development Institute - New Mexico State University (NMSU)

NMSU has more than 20 years experience in promoting sustainable development based on appropriate technology, providing services such as commercial development, engineering, system monitoring and evaluation, and training for clients in the public and private sectors.

Who are we?

Southwest Technology Development Institute is a non-profit, research organization that operates as a department within the College of Engineering at NMSU in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Its interest is the promotion and transference of promising technologies. SWTDI offers contract services for equipment development and evaluation, feasibility studies, modeling, software development, remote acquisition and data analysis, training, and other special services for public and private organizations. SWTDI operates the Southwest Region Experiment Station, SWRES (get a brocure in PDF format) where engineers conduct experiments with Photovoltaic Systems and evaluate their performance. The SWRES covers a 3.7 acre site located on the campus of NMSU and acquired through funds provided by the Department of Energy to test residential photovoltaic systems.

SWTDI personnel provide support worldwide for those interested in learning about, installing, and using photovoltaic systems. Under contract to Sandia National Laboratories, SWTDI conducts programs designed to disseminate renewable energy technology throughout Mexico and Latin America.

Training

During the past 25 years, SWTDI has offered dozens of training courses and workshops to hundreds of people from all over the world. Courses and workshops range from simple, practical installations to detailed engineering concepts. These courses are offered by professionals and engineers who prepare workshops and presentations in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, using printed materials, multimedia, and software, according to the needs of each client.

SWTDI can offer distance education courses to its clients through satellite links, internet, and broad band. Distance education can often result in substantial savings for our clients.

SWTDI can also provide lodging for its clients in university or private facilities with all of the conveniences and comforts that facilitate the learning process. SWTDI and its clients have unlimited access to broad-band internet connections as well as access to university research facilities, libraries, and computer laboratories. Clients also have access to the unique facilities of the SWRES where installation and practices related to renewable energy systems can be studied.

Experience

SWTDI and Sandia National Laboratories conduct the Mexican Renewable-Energy program sponsored by the Department of Energy and Agency for International Development. This program has been a model for the implementation of pumping systems and electrical generation using renewable energy sources; the model will be used in other Latin-American countries. Under this program, more than 200 water-pumping systems in rural communities have been installed, and intensive, professional training has been provided to over 30 engineers, allowing them to become experts in renewable energy. Training has also been provided to dozens of Mexican professionals from the public and private sectors.

In collaboration with Winrock International, SWTDI has assisted in the development of the Restructuring Project of the Sector de Energía Eléctrica (Electrical Energy Sector) in the Dominican Republic. This project provides funding and offers technical assistance in commercial applications of renewable energy. Dominican engineers have been trained, and the country's solar and wind resources have been evaluated.

SWTDI has conducted training courses in the following contries: Brazil, Ecuador, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, and South Africa. Among SWTDI's clients are American Solar Energy Society, Institute of International Education, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Organización Latinoamericana de Energía (Latin-American Energy Organization), Development Associates, Renewable Energy for African Development, Renewable-Energy and Efficiency-Training Institute, Sandia National Laboratories, Fideicomiso de Riesgo Compartido (Shared Risk Trusteeship), Solar Energy International, US Agency for International Development, US Export Council for Renewable Energy, and many others.

Research and Development

SWTDI participates in more than 50 active projects both nationally and internationally. The most recent of these include:

Efficiency monitoring and installation of field instrumentation for energy systems in locations such as Antarctica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Presentation of training workshops on solar and wind energy in various parts of the world Development of multimedia systems for use in renewable energy educational programs.

Management of the Solar-Car Construction Project for New Mexico students.

Establishment of state-level renewable-energy work groups in Chihuahua, Mexico and technical assistance to facilitate their efforts.

Development and exploration of methods for evaluating geothermal resources in the Rio Bravo (Grande) river bed and neighboring areas.

Operation of geothermally-heated winter quarters for a Canadian company interested in commercial expansion into New Mexico.

Evaluation of pollution prevention technologies in support of the Department of Energy's Industrial-Waste Reduction Program.

Construction and monitoring of wetlands residual-water treatment systems HUMAN RESOURCES.

SWTDI works in direct collaboration with the NMSU College of Engineering and an interdisciplinary group of professionals with academic degrees in Civil, Environmental, Electrical, Mechanical, and Geological Engineering, as well as professionals in Computer Science, Business Administration, Physics, and Technical Writing.

Institute for Energy and the Environment
New Mexico State University
Box 30001, MSC 3SOLAR
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003-8001

Tel: (505) 646-2943
Fax: (505) 646-3841