Major clean energy project might be headed to Nevada

By Karoun Demirjian

Monday, Jan. 24, 2011 | 3:56 p.m.

WASHINGTON - Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to the United States wasn't simply a diplomatic affair: as the leaders of one of the world's largest developed economies feted and tete-a-teted over dinners and speeches, business owners were in back rooms hammering out the details of multi-billion dollar cooperative arrangements.

One of those might be coming to Southern Nevada.

According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Chinese energy company ENN Group is looking at making a major investment in solar energy production in Southern Nevada, in partnership with a domestic company -- most likely Duke Energy, with which ENN has been partnering for a while. In October 2009, the two corporations announced they would be collaborating on a "green cities" initiative, part of which would include the development of commercial solar energy projects around the country.

The two companies inked an official agreement to bring clean fuels to U.S. cities last week.

Sen. Harry Reid met with ENN Group's chairman and founder Wang Yusuo last week, according to sources familiar with he discussions, to press for Nevada's candidacy as a site, arguing that the workforce is ready for it.

Reid's office also pressed Hu last week on the progress of an ongoing wind turbine project, backed by Chinese company A-Power, that is expected to create about 1,000 jobs once up and running, according to staff from Reid's office.

While the Southern Nevada solar energy production and manufacturing project, if approved, would certainly be the largest new business venture to emerge in the state on the heels of the Chinese president's visit, it wouldn't be the only one. Last week, the U.S.-China Economic Trade Forum brought nearly 40 businesses together to sign formal intercontinental partnership agreements on a host of issues, including Nevada-based Applied Soil Water Technologies and Shanghai Shengong Environmental Protection Company.

The two will join forces on an $85 million waste-to-energy recovery and recycling facility that could boost energy yields by 85 percent, and would be the first of its kind in the country.