News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Tennessee Tech awarded the largest research grant in the school’s history Monday, a $10 million grant to study the modernization of the electric grid.
The Appalachian Regional Commission awarded Tech money to lead a four-state consortium to assist rural electric utilities in leveraging the energy capabilities of the region. Among the issues, rolling blackouts that impacted the Upper Cumberland during the holiday cold snap. Tech researchers will look at how best to deploy electric vehicle charging stations to reduce strain on the electric grid.
Tech’s Center for Rural Innovation will lead the project which includes a partnership with MIT, Penn State University and West Virginia University.
“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,” Vice President For Research John Liu said. “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.”
