NSF Engines: Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine led by Binghamton University and the New Energy New York coalition selected to build a nation-leading battery technology innovation ecosystem.
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) today announced that Upstate New York is one of the 10 inaugural NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines). NSF Engines: Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine, led by Binghamton University and its New Energy New York (NENY) coalition of partners, will initially receive up to $15 million for the next two years, with potential of up to $160 million over 10 years. NSF’s initial $150 million investment into these 10 regions is being matched nearly two to one by commitments from state and local governments, other federal agencies, philanthropy and private industry. See a map of the inaugural NSF Engines.
The initiative is designed to build out a robust regional ecosystem, across 27 upstate New York counties, to lead innovation and workforce development for the critically important domestic battery and energy storage industry.
With a potential NSF investment of nearly $1.6 billion over the next decade, the NSF Engines represent one of the single largest investments in place-based research and economic development in the nation’s history — uniquely placing science and technology leadership as the central driver for regional economic competitiveness and job creation.
“The inaugural NSF Engines awards demonstrate our enduring commitment to create opportunity everywhere and enable innovation anywhere,” said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. “Through these NSF Engines, NSF aims to expand the frontiers of technology and innovation and spur economic growth across the nation through unprecedented investments in people and partnerships. NSF Engines hold significant promise to elevate and transform entire geographic regions into world-leading hubs of innovation.”
The NSF Engines award builds on a strong foundation established by NENY, with continuous support of U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, including the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) award in 2022 and the recent EDA designation as a federal Battery Tech Hub.
“With the prestigious NSF Engines award, the Upstate New York Southern Tier has officially secured its place as the next loop on America’s battery belt,” said Senator Schumer. “Lightning has struck not once, not twice but three times to supercharge Binghamton and the NENY coalition of cross-sector partners Southern Tier as best in class to grow cutting edge research in America’s battery industry.
Binghamton University will lead NENY partners in implementing the NSF Engines: Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine initiative to advance battery innovation, workforce development, and manufacturing.
“Another extraordinary win for Binghamton University’s New Energy New York (NENY) and the entire coalition,” said Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger. “We have all of the right academic and research collaborators on board, we are partnered with major industries as well as small businesses, and our ecosystem is diverse. This is what the NSF Engines program is all about. Of course, we want to thank Senator Schumer for his vision, leadership, and support for Binghamton University and the NENY coalition.”
This NSF award will supercharge the battery and energy storage industry in upstate New York, attracting new business and igniting job growth in the region.
“The NSF Engines Award is an unparalleled honor that provides upstate New York with even further recognition and resources to build a battery and energy storage ecosystem,” said Engine Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Binghamton University Associate Vice President for Innovation and Economic Development Per Stromhaug. “Combining this award with the Tech Hub designation and our efforts under EDA BBBRC, solidifies NENY, together with our partners, as a national leader in innovation, economic development, and job creation.”
By driving industry-inspired innovation and technology translation for the battery industry, NSF Engines: Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine will address major federal priorities including securing domestic supply chains, mitigating climate change, and strengthening national security.
“Establishing a battery and energy storage Engine here in upstate New York is a crucial step to bringing domestic production of batteries and a secure supply chain to the U.S.,” said Engine Chief Innovation Officer (CIO), Distinguished Professor at Binghamton University and Nobel Laureate recipient M. Stanley Whittingham. “This Engine award will provide the critically important research funding to allow battery innovations stemming from university and industry researchers to leapfrog the existing Asian technology and generate a sustainable US manufacturing presence.”
“The Engine will supercharge our ongoing NENY efforts, providing unprecedented support for cutting-edge research and development and for transitioning ground-breaking innovations from the lab to the market. None of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our partners, supporters, and team,” said NENY Director of Innovation and Director of Binghamton University’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnerships Olga Petrova.
The NSF Engines: Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine’s workforce development pillar will supercharge industry-driven training programs to help address the projected >200,000 jobs needed to support the U.S. battery supply chain by 2030.
“The NSF Engines award empowers NENY to channel significant resources into workforce development, ensuring not only the creation but the sustained success of jobs in upstate New York,” emphasized Stacey Johnson, Director of Workforce Development at NENY.
This Upstate New York initiative core partners comprise Binghamton University as the lead, Rochester Institute for Technology (RIT), Cornell University, Syracuse University, New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium (NY-BEST), Launch NY, and Charge CCCV. The broader cross-sector partner network includes more than 30 organizations spanning academia, federal, state and local government agencies, nonprofits, and industry.
“Cornell University looks forward to continued and now amplified support of these efforts around innovation and technology translation that will advance upstate New York’s position as a national leader in battery technology,” said Krystyn J. Van Vliet, vice president for research and innovation at Cornell University.
“RIT is committed to advancing the battery industry and has championed battery prototyping over the last decade,” said Vice President for Research and Associate Provost at RIT Ryne Raffaelle. “This recognition further fuels the ecosystem driven by NENY.”
“We look forward to working with NENY to further world-renowned research and development, address next-generation energy storage challenges, and inspire the future innovators of this critical industry,” said Vice President for Research at Syracuse University Duncan Brown.
The NSF Engines: Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine’s technology translation pillar will provide a comprehensive suite of resources to transition ground-breaking battery and related supply chain technologies from lab to market.
NY-BEST is a proud NENY partner and we look forward to implementing NSF Engines program with our industry members,” said Dr. William Acker, Executive Director of NY-BEST. “NSF Engines funding will drive regional innovation, stimulate economic growth and job creation in New York’s rapidly growing energy storge sector and will also support the development of state and federal policies for the energy storage industry.”
The programs will support industry technology development at all levels, from startups to established companies.
“Launch NY is excited to support clean energy technology commercialization and venture growth. Accomplishing this in upstate New York will drive profound societal and national impacts, while ensuring inclusive regional economic development,” said President and CEO of Launch NY Inc. Marnie Lavigne.
“We are in need of a true ecosystem that supports innovation in testing and manufacturing to advance and sustain the critical domestic battery industry, bolster the economy, and keep vital industry know-how here in the U.S.,” said Founder and CEO of C4V Shailesh Upreti. “NENY helps lead the way in this mission, with the NSF Engines award enabling unprecedented support and advancement across the entire battery supply chain.”
Today’s announcement delivers on the bipartisan priorities outlined in the “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022,” which authorized the NSF Engines program with a focus on market-driven research and development, innovation, translation, and workforce development.
“With this transformative National Science Foundation grant, we are putting Binghamton and all of New York State back at the cutting edge of manufacturing and innovation,” Governor Hochul said. “The modern era of battery technology was born right here in New York, and thanks to Majority Leader Schumer, President Biden and New York’s congressional delegation, the CHIPS and Science Act is helping to ensure that the future of batteries is built here as well.”
Assemblymember Harry Bronson from the Rochester area, who participated in the NSF review team meetings back in November, celebrates Upstate NY being recognized with this latest federal award.
“Congratulations to SUNY Binghamton University as the recipient of the NSF Regional Innovation Engine award. The $160 million dollar investment represents the collaborative, progressive nature of the Upstate New York economy by engaging multiple industry and academic partners, including RIT, and over 27 regional counties working together to strengthen our role as a nationally leading tech hub. Importantly, the Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine and New Energy New York (NENY) coalition aligns with our goals to connect economic development to workforce development initiatives to ensure we are increasing equity and opportunity in our economy and creating the qualified workforce we need to bring New York into the future. Thank you to Senator Schumer for helping to bring this important advance to our region.”
Launched by the NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships in May 2022, the NSF Engines program uniquely harnesses the nation’s science and technology research, development enterprise and regional-level resources. For more information, visit the NSF Engines program website.
This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation.
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About New Energy New York (NENY)
NENY is building a nation-leading ecosystem in upstate New York, supporting research and development, innovation, technology translation, and workforce development to advance the domestic battery and energy storage industry. Led by Binghamton University, NENY has assembled a cross-sector coalition of partners to aid in the development and execution of programs supporting academia, industry, and regional communities. For more information about NENY, visit: https://newenergynewyork.com/.
About Binghamton UniversityAn R1 top-tier research university, Binghamton University offers a broad, interdisciplinary education with an international perspective combined with one of the most vibrant research programs in the nation. The university invests in top-notch facilities and engages in industry partnerships, knowing its immensely talented students and faculty will make discoveries that enrich the world. As a top-35 ranked U.S. public research university, Binghamton has two of the fastest-growing research programs in the state with students, faculty and staff from more than 100 countries. For more information, visit: www.binghamton.edu
