Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: National Grid provides $225K grant to UAlbany NanoCollege for green energy initiative to establish solar power control and monitoring center at CNSE's Albany nanotech complex

Home > Press > National Grid provides $225K grant to UAlbany NanoCollege for green energy initiative to establish solar power control and monitoring center at CNSE's Albany nanotech complex

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Renewable Energy and Economic Development Program Grant Will Support Future Solar Generation Across New York State

National Grid provides $225K grant to UAlbany NanoCollege for green energy initiative to establish solar power control and monitoring center at CNSE's Albany nanotech complex

Albany, NY | Posted on June 2nd, 2011

National Grid today presented a $225,000 Renewable Energy and Economic Development grant to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany to help enable a green energy initiative that will establish a Photovoltaic Control and Monitoring Center (PVCMC) at CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex. The first grant to be awarded in eastern New York as part of National Grid's Renewable Energy and Economic Development Program will support future solar power generation systems across New York State.

The $225,000 National Grid grant will be used to develop, install and demonstrate a state-of-the-art control and monitoring center. The PVCMC will enable gathering of real-time research data that will provide designers, architects and installers with critical feedback to accelerate the construction and integration of roof-mounted PV systems across New York, fueling increased deployment of green energy in homes and businesses.

The UAlbany NanoCollege will partner with EYP Energy and Alteris Renewables to establish the PVCMC, which is part of a larger $1.35 million solar demonstration initiative that will evaluate and compare state-of-the-art, thin film-based solar PV technologies as a means of accelerating the use of clean energy technologies.

This grant demonstrates National Grid's continuing commitment to CNSE. In 2008, National Grid supported CNSE with a grant for $250,000 to offset the costs incurred by building a new substation for the facility.

"As the Capital Region's local energy company, National Grid is pleased to join with the College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering as an example of public-private partnerships that can work, and help bring economic vitality to the area," said Ken Daly, National Grid's President of New York. "What's more, supporting expanding technology in renewable energy makes National Grid's local grant an investment that will spread the benefits even beyond the region."

"The UAlbany NanoCollege is grateful to National Grid for its continued support in furthering CNSE's efforts to develop innovative, nanotechnology-enabled green energy technologies," said Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of CNSE. "This investment will serve to accelerate CNSE's growing portfolio in solar energy technologies, which hold great promise for reducing energy consumption, protecting the environment, and generating economic growth to benefit all New Yorkers."

"CNSE's PV Control and Monitoring Center will become a key regional and statewide asset, driving additional PV installations in New York State and generating substantial economic development through business attraction and job growth," said Dr. Pradeep Haldar, Vice President for Clean Energy Programs at CNSE. "In addition, the demonstration facilities will serve as a living laboratory to train undergraduate and graduate students to perform research and enable technology transfer to industry."

The National Grid Renewable Energy and Economic Development Grant program funds projects that demonstrate alternative generation technologies, such as solar, while promoting economic development for the region. This National Grid grant is part of the company's comprehensive economic development plan for upstate New York. For more information and program descriptions, visit National Grid's Economic Development website at: www.shovelready.com/.

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About UAlbany NanoCollege
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 $7 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, from companies including IBM, GlobalFoundries, SEMATECH, Toshiba, Samsung, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, ASML, Novellus Systems, Vistec Lithography and Atotech. An expansion now underway is projected to increase the size of CNSE’s Albany NanoTech Complex to over 1,250,000 square feet of next-generation infrastructure housing over 135,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanrooms and more than 3,750 scientists, researchers and engineers from CNSE and global corporations. For information, visit www.cnse.albany.edu.

About National Grid
National Grid is an international energy delivery company. In the U.S., National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. National Grid also owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers.

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Contacts:
Steve Janack
College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering
518-956-7322

Patrick Stella
National Grid
518-433-3838

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