STILLWATER — Oklahoma State University will receive a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to continue research and training for energy conservation in manufacturing.
OSU is one of five institutions across the country to receive a portion of the $18.7 million federal allocation. Almost $7 million is earmarked to create the Great Plains Center of Excellence in Stillwater.
The center is in the Endeavor lab, a federally designated Industrial Assessment Center on the campus.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff made the announcement during an appearance here recently.
The funding is provided by bipartisan infrastructure legislation passed by Congress and will expand on OSU’s Industrial Assessment Center. IACs help small and medium-sized businesses by improving productivity and competitiveness while reducing waste and finding energy efficiency solutions.
“This initiative, which is all about investing in America, is one piece of a grand strategy for us as a country to be able to get back the manufacturing jobs that we have lost over the past couple of decades,” Granholm said.
She also announced a $54 million opportunity for which institutions will compete to create new IACs at community colleges, technical schools and union training programs, as well as creating Building Training and Assessment Centers.
“Most of the IACs are associated with four-year universities at the moment, but we want to spread the wealth,” Granholm said.
Emhoff, who is married to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, is also a part of the “Investing in America” tour. Emhoff said these investments will help fund initiatives toward building a “clean energy” economy.
“It strengthens our energy security and it’s meeting our climate goals. And in addition to creating a clean energy economy, we are also creating jobs,” Emhoff said.
“This award certainly fulfills our land grant mission and will further propel our efforts to solve society’s most pressing challenges,” said OSU President Kayse Shrum.
“Since this Made in America agenda was passed, 150 battery companies, or suppliers to battery companies, have announced they’re opening up shop all across the nation,” Granholm said.
For example, electric vehicle manufacturer Canoo, which announced plans to open a battery module assembly plant at the Mid-America Industrial Park in Mayes County later this year, was mentioned as one beneficiary of research the government encourages.
The tour began at Oklahoma State University and concluded at the University of Oklahoma, where Granholm and Emhoff met for a roundtable discussion on geothermal energy with representatives from tribal nations.