RIT Lands $70M Federal Grant for Consortium

By Joseph Spector

Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

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ALBANY — The Rochester Institute of Technology will receive a $70 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to lead a national consortium that will develop new ways for clean energy in manufacturing.

Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced the award for the Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute after they and Rep. Louise Slaughter pressed for the money in recent months.

The RIT-led consortium will include more than 100 research universities, national laboratories and private companies, the lawmakers said.

“RIT has been leading the way in revolutionizing our manufacturing sector for years, and there is no one better suited to host this new CEMII site,” Schumer said in a statement obtained by the Albany Bureau for the USA Today Network.

The money will be allocated over a three-year period and will be matched by RIT itself, the senators said.

Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz toured the region in October at Schumer’s invitation as RIT looks to research and develop wants to reduce emissions and other pollutants in the manufacturing sector.

The project seeks to increase manufacturing sales in the U.S. by 50 percent, aiming to help revive the region and state’s once prominent manufacturing industry, advocates said.

RIT expects to add 50 jobs, the senators said. There was no immediate comment from RIT about the grant.

Gillibrand said RIT was already at the “cutting edge” of clean-energy research.

“And these funds will help ensure that the university stays in this strong position for years to come,” she said in a statement.

Slaughter said the grant will bolster the Rochester area’s high-tech developments.

The state and federal government are partnership separately on a $600 million photonics center that includes RIT and the University of Rochester.

“I couldn’t be more proud to bring a second manufacturing institute to Rochester,” Slaughter, D-Fairport, said in a statement.

“This new institute will strengthen our economy, create jobs, and build on our reputation as a global leader in manufacturing innovation.”