UNC Charlotte-led Carolinas partnership awarded NSF Regional Innovation Engines designation to modernize the nation’s electric grid
Federal investment of up to $160 million positions North Carolina and South Carolina to play a larger national role in grid modernization and technology deployment
The U.S. National Science Foundation has selected the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas (Carolinas Grid Engine) as one of America’s newest NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines). The engine is led by UNC Charlotte and supported by more than 100 partners across North Carolina and South Carolina.
The selection positions the Carolinas as a nationally significant innovation cluster for developing, testing, commercializing and deploying technologies to address one of the nation's most pressing infrastructure challenges: modernizing the electric grid.
The engine will accelerate adoption of solutions that improve grid reliability, strengthen domestic supply chains and help the United States meet rapidly growing electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, data centers and population growth.
The award includes an initial $15 million investment over two years, with the potential for up to $160 million over the next decade based on performance milestones.
NSF Engines' investments in critical technologies and future industries will transform America’s innovation infrastructure for decades to come.
The NSF Grid Modernization Engine will strengthen U.S. energy security, meet rising energy demand and train the workforce of the future, while building economic stability across the Carolinas.”
Brian Stone
Chief of Staff and performing duties as Director
National Science Foundation
Spanning a 36-county region, the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas brings together partners including universities, utilities, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, workforce organizations, state and local governments, research institutions, investors and economic development partners.
This award reflects what is possible when the public and private sectors and communities come together around a shared challenge and shared opportunity.
The Carolinas have built the partnerships, research capability and infrastructure needed to move grid technologies from concept to deployment, and few regions are better positioned to lead that work than Charlotte, where connections across North and South Carolina create a natural gateway for collaboration and innovation. UNC Charlotte is proud to help bring those efforts together.”
Sharon L. Gaber
Chancellor, UNC Charlotte
The NSF Engines program supports large-scale regional partnerships focused on accelerating the development and deployment of critical technologies, growing regional economies and strengthening America's global competitiveness.
This federal investment will allow UNC Charlotte to continue to bring together partners from across the Carolinas and ensure North Carolina remains a leader in research, manufacturing and industry partnerships critical to advancing the next generation of grid technologies.”
Richard Hudson ’96
U.S. Representative, R-N.C.
The late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham joined Hudson as a longtime advocate for the engine.
"We are grateful to Congressman Hudson and the late Senator Graham for their support of this effort from its earliest stages," said Gaber. "Their confidence in our partners and in the potential of the Carolinas helped make this achievement possible."
One of only 12 engines selected from nearly 300 teams that entered the national competition, the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas will focus on:
Advancing use-inspired research and development
Accelerating commercialization of grid technologies
Strengthening domestic supply chains
Supporting entrepreneurship and venture creation
Creating workforce pathways and training programs
Improving grid reliability and resilience
Clemson University, the South Carolina Research Authority, York Technical College, Joules Accelerator and E4 Carolinas join the University in leading the engine. Other key members of the coalition are Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, Santee Cooper, EPRI, Siemens Energy, Honeywell, Nucor, and the North Carolina and South Carolina Departments of Commerce.
The state-of-the-art Dominion Energy Innovation Center at Clemson’s Charleston Innovation Campus boasts the infrastructure, technical expertise and testing capabilities needed to address complex energy challenges and innovate the next generation of grid technologies.
We are an eager partner with the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas to strengthen those capabilities while supporting the applied research necessary to advance modern energy systems.”
J. Cole Smith
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Clemson University
John Daniels, vice chancellor for research at UNC Charlotte and principal investigator for the initiative, said the engine was designed to bring together the partners needed to move promising technologies from the laboratory into widespread use at unprecedented speed.
Grid modernization cannot happen through isolated efforts. The challenge is not simply developing new technologies. It is moving them from research to testing, commercialization and adoption quickly enough to meet rising demand.
You can look across the country and ask, ‘Where is the highest concentration of expertise, infrastructure and partnerships to accelerate grid modernization?' The answer is clear; it's here.”
John Daniels
Vice Chancellor for Research, UNC Charlotte
For North Carolina, leaders say the award reinforces ongoing efforts to strengthen critical infrastructure, expand advanced manufacturing capacity and prepare for rising electricity demand driven by economic growth and emerging technologies.
The NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas represents an historic opportunity for North Carolina and South Carolina to build on our shared strengths and establish the Carolinas as a global leader in energy innovation. I look forward to watching this project fuel growth and fortify the domestic energy infrastructure essential to our national security."
Josh Stein
Governor of North Carolina
The engine also reflects the importance of a regional approach, bringing together partners across state lines to build the scale, expertise and coordination needed to address challenges no single institution or state could solve alone.
A reliable and resilient energy supply is critical to South Carolina’s continued success. This award will help strengthen our ability to meet future demand, support economic opportunity and ensure the Carolinas remain leaders in innovation and job creation.
We are proud to celebrate the partners who helped secure this award and grateful for the strong collaboration across the Carolinas that made it possible.”
Henry McMaster
Governor of South Carolina
The award enables the initiative to move into its implementation phase, activating plans developed during the engine's two-year development period. Additional announcements, including the selection of a permanent CEO and broader energy initiatives at the University, are expected in the coming months.
Partner Perspectives
UNC Charlotte continues to show how higher education can drive innovation, workforce development and economic growth for our region.
Modernizing the grid will require strong partnerships among education, industry and government, and this effort would help prepare students across the Carolinas for careers in critical infrastructure, clean energy and emerging technologies. I am proud to support work that keeps talent, opportunity and innovation growing right here at home.”
Alma S. Adams
U.S. Representative, D-N.C.
Partner Perspectives
This NSF award comes at a pivotal time for North Carolina as we face increasing demands on our energy systems and other infrastructure networks that are foundational to our economy.
This investment aligns with North Carolina’s First in Opportunity Strategic Economic Development Planby creating new high-paying jobs and opportunities for economic mobility and helping ensure that our infrastructure, workforce systems and communities have the capacity to sustainably support that growth and distribute its benefits more broadly.”
Lee Lilley
North Carolina Commerce Secretary
Partner Perspectives
The announcement of the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas as one of the elite NSF Regional Innovation Engines is more than a recognition of technical excellence; it is a validation of the strategic investments made by the federal government, the state of South Carolina and industry partners to strengthen our energy future.
Building on the foundation established through SC NEXUS and our state's world-class energy assets, this effort positions the Carolinas as a national leader in grid modernization, energy resilience, workforce development and innovation.”
Harry Lightsey
South Carolina Commerce Secretary
Partner Perspectives
Duke Energy has a proud legacy of advancing research, innovation and workforce development through partnerships like our ongoing collaboration with UNC Charlotte.
The NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas will enhance testing environments, technical expertise and infrastructure, ensuring we deliver a smarter, more resilient grid for our communities. Strengthening our grid through innovation is essential to powering the Carolinas’ future as we remain laser focused on delivering dependable energy at the lowest cost possible for every customer.”
Harry Sideris
CEO, Duke Energy
Partner Perspectives
Meeting the escalating demand for power requires modern energy systems to rely increasingly on technologies that fuse physical infrastructure with intelligent automation and digital capabilities.
Honeywell’s partnership with UNC Charlotte and the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas reflects our focus on connecting research, talent development and technology deployment to help address these challenges. Today's NSF award accelerates this mission, helping us build the complex energy infrastructure the world requires.”
Vimal Kapur
Chairman and CEO, Honeywell Technologies
Partner Perspectives
Access to reliable, affordable energy is a key factor in manufacturing competitiveness. With electricity demand growing, modernizing the transmission grid will be vital for future economic growth.
As North America’s largest steel producer, and a large energy consumer, Nucor is proud to be a partner in the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas project to ensure we continue to deliver the energy that manufacturers need to grow and be competitive.”
Leon Topalian
CEO, Nucor
Partner Perspectives
Modernizing the electric grid requires technologies that can perform outside the laboratory and within real operating environments.
NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas could help grid-technology startups better achieve success by helping them develop to the stringent requirements demanded by utility customers.”
Arshad Mansoor
President and CEO, EPRI
Partner Perspectives
Modernizing energy infrastructure requires more than technology development. It requires a workforce prepared to build, deploy and maintain increasingly complex energy systems.
The NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas strengthens connections among education, workforce development and industry while helping prepare talent for the rapidly changing energy economy.”
Tina Taylor
Interim President, E4 Carolinas
Partner Perspectives
The most powerful technologies create value when they move from the lab into the marketplace, which is why the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas is focused on building the bridges that carry promising innovations into real-world deployment.
By aligning the strategic interests of industry, utilities and innovators, we are accelerating commercialization of grid solutions—strengthening reliability, resilience and the region’s economic competitiveness, while supporting the companies and industries that depend on continued innovation.”
Bill Kirkland
President and CEO, SCRA
Partner Perspectives
A modernized energy grid requires more than new technology; it also requires a workforce prepared to power it. Through the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas, York Technical College is developing the talent pipeline through hands-on training and career pathways that connect students to high-demand opportunities across the Carolinas.”
Stacey Moore
President, York Technical College
Partner Perspectives
Many of the technologies needed to modernize energy infrastructure will come from entrepreneurs and emerging companies working to solve complex problems in new ways.
The NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas strengthens the environment needed to help promising technologies move from early-stage ideas toward scalable solutions.”
Ryan Rutledge
Executive Director, Joules Accelerator
Partner Perspectives
Building a more resilient electric grid depends on accelerating how we test, validate and deploy new technologies. At Siemens Energy, we bring together grid technologies, digitalization and project execution to shorten that cycle—from innovation to energization. The Carolinas Engine for Grid Modernization supports the kind of applied research and technology development needed to modernize transmission infrastructure and enable faster, more reliable delivery.”
Matt Neal
President, Siemens Energy North America
Partner Perspectives
Electric utilities are balancing growing demand and facing changing customer expectations while adapting to an increasingly complex energy system. Efforts that strengthen grid infrastructure and support investments in innovative technology will play an important role for the communities we serve not just for today, but for generations to come.”
Daniel Kassis
Vice President, Customer Relations and Renewables
Dominion Energy
Partner Perspectives
The technologies that will strengthen America’s critical infrastructure cannot remain in the laboratory. They must be tested, validated and transitioned into real-world deployment.
The NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas brings together the partners needed to accelerate that process while strengthening the nation’s security, economic competitiveness and technological advantage.”
David Gorsich
Chief Scientist for Ground Vehicle Systems, U.S. Army
Q&A with Robert Cox
Robert Cox, co-principal investigator of the Carolinas Grid Engine, executive director of UNC Charlotte’s Energy Production and Infrastructure Center and The Duke Energy Distinguished Scholar in Power Engineering Systems, answers questions about the current state of America’s energy grid infrastructure and why modernization is critical.
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