Nanotechnology innovations for smart grid solutions get boost with $20M research center

Posted: June 25, 2010
Nanotechnology innovations for smart grid solutions get boost with $20M research center
(Nanowerk News) Crompton Greaves and CG Power ("CG"), a global leader in power transmission and distribution headquartered in India, and the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering ("CNSE") of the University at Albany today announced a partnership to establish a world-class center at CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex that will enable nanotechnology innovations for smart grid solutions, creating over 100 high-tech jobs in upstate New York and fueling development and use of clean and renewable energy technologies.
The $20 million CG Center for Intelligent Power ("CIP") will spur new opportunities for advanced [CG and CNSE Launch Global Partnership to Establish $20M Center for Intelligent Power at UAlbany NanoCollege] research and development, prototyping, and education and workforce training to facilitate clean energy and smart grid technologies. More than 50 scientists, researchers and engineers will be located at CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex, and CG anticipates adding another 50 high-paying consulting, engineering and design jobs - expected to generate more than $50 million in revenue and investments statewide over the next five years - based on outcomes from this collaboration with CNSE.
A division of the $4 billion Avantha Group, headquartered in India, CG has an impressive global footprint in the design, manufacture and marketing of technologically advanced electric products and services related to power generation, transmission and distribution.
Gautam Thapar, Chairman & CEO of Avantha Group, said, "Avantha Group is delighted to establish this strategic partnership with the globally recognized College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. Through the Center for Intelligent Power, CG and the UAlbany NanoCollege have an exceptional opportunity to develop clean energy technologies and to deploy them as part of smart grid solutions, utilizing the unique capabilities of New York's growing alternative energy industry to brighten the world's energy future."
U.S. Representative Paul Tonko said, "It is a pleasure to welcome still another leading global high-tech company, CG Power, to the Capital Region and New York State, attracted by the opportunity to partner with the world-class College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. This collaboration provides the best of both worlds: development of innovative clean energy technologies that will reduce our carbon footprint, and creation of high-tech jobs that offer new opportunities for New Yorkers to take part in the green collar economy."
Francis J. Murray, President and CEO of NYSERDA, said, "New York State's growing recognition as a leading hub for clean and renewable energy technologies will be further enhanced by this partnership between the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and CG Power. Not only will this advance the development and introduction of alternative energy and smart grid solutions, it paves the way for additional high-tech jobs and investment to continue to build a robust and vital green energy economy in New York."
Mark Scher, President and CEO of MSE Power Systems, CG Power's largest U.S.-based transmission, smart grid and renewable energy group, said, "This new collaboration between CG Power and the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering will address an important challenge by ensuring that critical green energy technologies can be integrated seamlessly into the grid. MSE Power Systems looks forward to this partnership between industrial and academic alternative energy powerhouses, which will help forge a cleaner and more energy efficient future while driving significant economic impact."
Albany County Executive Mike Breslin said, "We are delighted to welcome still another leading international company to Albany County through this collaboration between the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and CG Power. This partnership will create exciting new high-tech jobs for our residents, while accelerating the alternative and renewable energy technologies that are so critical to providing clean and efficient energy for our future."
University at Albany President George M. Philip said, "This new partnership between CG Power and the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering further positions the University as a global leader in providing world-class education and advanced research for clean energy technologies. It also demonstrates the important role higher education is playing in driving new opportunities for economic development and growth."
Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of CNSE, said, "This innovative partnership between the UAlbany NanoCollege and CG Power, a recognized global leader in clean energy systems and technologies, will positively impact our energy, environmental and economic futures. Through the world-class Center for Intelligent Power at CNSE, we look forward to jointly developing and deploying nanoscale technologies that produce renewable energy and a cleaner environment, while creating high-paying green collar jobs that further establish New York as a desired location for alternative and sustainable energy jobs, companies and investment."
Dr. Pradeep Haldar, Director of CNSE's Energy and Environmental Technology Applications Center ("E2TAC"), said, "We are excited to launch this collaboration with CG Power to accelerate the adoption and integration of alternative energy technologies with smart grid capabilities. Through the development of advanced systems for monitoring and evaluation of clean energy technologies, we can further enhance our ability to build New York's green collar economy while reducing the nation's carbon footprint."
CG and CNSE's E2TAC will jointly conduct leading-edge research and development to accelerate the use of a wide range of smart grid technologies, including advanced products and applications to integrate renewable energy facilities into power transmission and distribution systems; novel systems to manage reactive power flow and voltage in energy transmission; development of monitoring and evaluation control systems to allow real-time analysis of the performance of these systems at the substation or micro-grid level; and improved workforce training for operators serving advanced substations with smart grid capabilities.
Research and development activities at the CIP will harness the unparalleled intellectual know-how and technological capabilities of CNSE's $5.5 billion Albany NanoTech Complex, the most advanced research enterprise of its kind at any university in the world. As part of E2TAC, CNSE's Energy Test Farm will provide a leading-edge venue for data collection, analysis and display to better quantify and facilitate the integration of control systems in the grid environment.
As part of its commitment to the CIP, CG will also support emerging career opportunities in the clean energy industry by offering internships and fellowships to undergraduate and graduate students wishing to enter careers related to smart grid technologies, as well as activities for middle and high school students interested in pursuing educational programs in the alternative energy field.
About Avantha Group
The US$ 4 bn Avantha Group is one of India's leading business conglomerates. Its successful entities include BILT, CG (Crompton Greaves), The Global Green Company, Avantha Power & Infrastructure, Solaris ChemTech Industries, Biltech Building Elements, Salient Business Solutions, and Avantha Technologies. With an impressive global footprint, Avantha operates in over ten countries, employing 20,000 people worldwide. The Group has business interests in diverse areas including power transmission and distribution equipment and services, paper and pulp, energy and infrastructure, food processing, farm forestry, chemicals, IT and ITES. Led by Gautam Thapar, Avantha demonstrates strong leadership globally and emerges as a focused corporate, leveraging its knowledge, leadership and operations, adding lasting value for its stakeholders and investors. For information on the Avantha Group, contact Ms. Shravani Dang at [email protected] or visit www.avanthagroup.com.
About CNSE
The UAlbany CNSE is the first college in the world dedicated to education, research, development, and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience, and nanoeconomics. CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex is the most advanced research enterprise of its kind at any university in the world. With over $5.5 billion in high-tech investments, the 800,000-square-foot complex attracts corporate partners from around the world and offers students a one-of-a-kind academic experience. The UAlbany NanoCollege houses the only fully-integrated, 300mm wafer, computer chip pilot prototyping and demonstration line within 80,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanrooms. More than 2,500 scientists, researchers, engineers, students, and faculty work on site at CNSE's Albany NanoTech, from companies including IBM, AMD, GlobalFoundries, SEMATECH, Toshiba, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, ASML, Novellus Systems, Vistec Lithography and Atotech.

Source: CNSE