The growing energy needs of our country will no doubt spur innovation and keep the alternative-energy industry moving forward. Growth, however, will depend on critical private-public partnerships and funding.

Companies in Northern Colorado have certainly answered the call, helping bring advances in smart-grid technology, water resources and advanced transportation.

The City of Fort Collins has helped, too. Because it owns the municipal utility, it has been able to promote, fund and connect smart-grid companies with what they need to grow.

The water cluster in Northern Colorado is also booming because of relationships between the public and private sectors. Colorado State University and local engineering firms have taken past research on water and commercialized it, focusing on water analysis, monitoring, efficiency and control. This growth in water research has led to a steady increase in jobs in the Northern Colorado area, especially as it relates to applications in the natural-gas industry.

In the advanced transportation sector, local companies have advanced hybrid technology in terms of combustion engines and hydraulics. For example, VanDyne Super Turbo has created a new combustion engine that