Perspective

“A lot of innovation is not just about the technologies and the people behind them, it’s also about consensus from across sectors on what we’re collectively trying to achieve. Having collaborations that bring in academics, NGOs, investors, and a wide variety of participants can help alleviate polarization.”

Innovators and superstars of the energy and utilities industry attended Fortnightly Top Innovators 2023 at the historic Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. to learn, trade ideas, and network.

A tour of the the Blue Lab Green Lab and Fabrication Lab with Jim McNelis, plus the Materials Testing Lab with Tony Kosari.

“We are an applied research and technology development non-profit organization. We have a long list of customers who we call when an opportunity presents itself. Now, about 50% percent of our work is done in the lab, and the other 50% is at company sites.”

“ We do component research on vehicles, from hydrogen-powered cars to heavy duty trucks like the class eight trucks. We collaborate with the Port of Los Angeles to test class eight trucks running on 100% hydrogen fuel. They work well, and are not just R&D trucks, they are running through a real-life cycle.”

“The next frontier for us is hydrogen natural gas blending systems. We’re going to be working with partners in Europe where there are burners designed for hydrogen that we can work with and help bring to this market where appropriate.”

“All the equipment we’re working with is commercially available. The goal of testing it in a microgrid is to achieve annual efficiencies well over 100% on or off grid at GHG emission levels no more than 50% of the current average grid.”

“We can determine which of these microbes might be in the sample and if that could potentially be a part of the root cause of a failure. GTI Energy is one of the labs that the energy industry uses for that, and it’s the only lab that’s accredited.”

“Our view at GTI Energy is that when we’re changing energy systems, it’s important we’re approaching the change from a systems perspective. It is important that we are collaborating.”

GTI Energy embraces a vision for integrated, low-carbon, low-cost energy systems that leverage gases, liquids, infrastructure, and efficiency to meet the urgent challenges presented by climate change and global energy access. To fully comprehend these words, there is nothing like a visit to its eighteen acres of facilities close to Chicago, to take in the depth and breadth of what goes on at these specialized labs with equipment for design, testing, and analysis of advanced energy technologies.