News
Tech tapped to lead multi-state consortium on electric grid modernization, backed with largest grant in Tech history
From left: Satish Mahajan, director of Tech’s Center for Energy Systems Research (CESR),
Robert Craven, research and development engineer for CESR, Ali Arzani, research assistant
professor for CESR, and Michael Aikens, director of Tech’s Center for Rural Innovation
(TCRI) stand in front of the HILLTOP platform developed by Tennessee Tech and MIT
that will be used in their Appalachian Regional Commission-funded electric grid research.
Tennessee Tech University has entered new territory as a national research institution;
receiving the single largest research grant in the university’s 108-year history and
tasked with a mission to modernize aging electric grids by leveraging the energy capabilities
of the Appalachian region.
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) – an economic development partnership between
the federal government and 13 states across Appalachia – awarded Tech a $10 million grant to lead a four-state consortium that will help rural electric
utilities and energy supply companies deploy smart grid technologies to better serve
their communities and address challenges such as the rolling blackouts that have impacted
consumers across the country during times of peak energy usage.
Researchers will consider factors such as how to better plan and position electric
vehicle (EV) charging stations to most effectively manage the strain on electric grids.
The project will also address challenges associated with integrating renewable energy
sources – such as wind and solar energy – as well as managing large-scale battery
storage. Newer battery technologies use materials that are abundant in the Appalachian
region, including iron and ethane.
“It is a testament to the strength and reputation of Tennessee Tech that we were specifically
chosen by ARC to lead this effort to revitalize the backbone of our electrical power
system for future generations. We appreciate their trust and confidence,” said John
Liu, vice president for research at Tech. “It’s easy to take our power supply for
granted, but sustainable solutions that engage the natural resources of our region
to modernize our energy infrastructure are needed. We look forward to working with
our partners to that end.”
The project uses a dedicated computer platform called HILLTOP, created by Tennessee
Tech and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Experiments will be performed
with new technologies in a real-time simulated environment so that electric utilities
can provide cost-effective testing and solutions prior to the implementation. Ali
Arzani, research assistant professor in Tech’s Center for Energy Systems Research
(CESR), says Tech will also train partner institutions on using the HILLTOP platform.
Within the university, Tech’s Center for Rural Innovation (TCRI) and CESR will helm
the project. Tech will be the principal university on the project, leading a partnership
that includes MIT, The MIT Lincoln Lab, Pennsylvania State University and West Virginia
University, as well as Ohio’s BRITE Energy Innovators, the Knoxville Entrepreneur
Center and Cookeville-based The Biz Foundry.
Tech expects that, within one year of the project’s completion, it will have served
and improved 468 businesses including seven rural electric utilities, one energy tech
startup, 60 electrical engineering firms, and 400 freelance software developers. TCRI
will also conduct economic impact analyses for the electric utilities, assessing the
impact of both the cost savings for the utility itself and the downstream effect on
consumers and businesses.
“This project is a natural fit for Tennessee Tech as it allows us another opportunity
to leverage the innovation and knowledge of our students and faculty to meaningfully
improve the lives of individuals, families, and small businesses across our region,
which has been at the core of TCRI’s mission all along,” said Michael Aikens, director
of TCRI and administrative chair of Tech’s Rural Reimagined Grand Challenge. “We are
grateful to ARC for this opportunity and eager to get to work on behalf of the 191
counties across Tennessee, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia that this research
will serve.”
“Our electric grids are under significant stress and modernization is overdue. There
is an obvious need for the ideas and advancements that Tennessee Tech and our partner
institutions can provide,” said Satish M. Mahajan, director of Tech’s CESR and professor
of electric and computer engineering. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity
for Tech to lead on real-world solutions that rural electric utilities and co-ops
could eventually apply and replicate across the country to lower costs, improve reliability,
and expand adoption of green energy technologies.”
ARC’s grant announcement comes as Tech recently celebrated a record for externally funded research in fiscal year 2023, topping $36.3 million.
