Launched in 2009, Energy Systems Network (ESN) is a initiative focused on the development of the advanced energy technology and transportation sectors. Through collaborations with industry partners, including Fortune 500 companies, leading research institutions, government agencies, and academia, the organization seeks solutions to global energy challenges such as greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, and energy security.
To address these concerns, ESN is building an energy ecosystem that integrates all aspects of the energy landscape: energy generation, distribution, the built environment, and transportation. Each of these aspects is addressed through the organization’s various projects and initiatives.
Hoosier Heavy Hybrid Partnership
One of ESN’s earliest projects was the Hoosier Heavy Hybrid Partnership. Formed in 2009, the program sought to develop a fully integrated hybrid powertrain system that utilized higher performance components and demonstrated next-generation plug-in hybrid technology for light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles. Collaborators on this effort included , the Delphi Corporation, , Remy International, and Duke Energy.
Outcomes from this initiative included the 2010 U.S.-China Advanced Technology Vehicle Summit as well as the Hoosier Heavy Hybrid Center of Excellence (H3CoE) at Purdue University (opened in 2011). In addition, more than $400 million in combined investments in hybrid powertrain component development were made by the end of the program. Such investments have contributed to advances in the “green” heavy-duty vehicle market, which is an important sector for dramatically reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Project Plug-IN
Another ESN initiative was Project Plug-IN. Introduced in 2010, this program began as a commercial-scale pilot of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and smart grid technology working together to demonstrate an energy-efficient transportation system solution.
Project Plug-IN’s best-known program was the all-electric car-sharing service called BlueIndy. Launched in 2015, BlueIndy was an approximately $50 million public-private partnership between the City of Indianapolis, , and Bolloré, a French transportation company. The actual BlueIndy service, which was owned by Bolloré, allowed users to rent and return the company’s electric cars for a one-time fee or yearly membership. This fleet eventually grew to 282 cars and 92 charging stations throughout Indianapolis.
While BlueIndy was an innovative concept for the city, the service struggled to find enough users to make it economically viable. As a result, the program ceased operations in May 2020. Since this closure, city leaders have been developing plans to reuse the company’s electric power grid infrastructure.
MicroGreen
A third ESN initiative was MicroGreen. Launched in 2010, this project was a collaborative effort among technology, utility, and military partners to develop a mobile renewable microgrid system that would provide scalable power for military and commercial markets. Initial funding for this system came from a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, which was later matched with more than $3 million in private investment.
Some of the companies that helped design and build the MicroGreen prototype included Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Cummins, Delphi Corporation, I-Power Energy Systems, Emerson Technologies, SolarNet, and Duke Energy. Once the prototype was fully operational, it was successfully tested and deployed at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane in Southern Indiana in 2011. After this test, SAIC used the MicroGreen technology to develop a wider suite of modular micro-grid systems.
Battery Innovation Center (BIC)
ESN’s established the Battery Innovation Center (BIC) in 2012. BIC is an Indiana-based nonprofit that links manufacturers, government agencies and research labs, academia, and Fortune 500 companies to accelerate the advanced battery market. The organization’s 40,000-square-foot facility opened next to NSWC Crane in 2013. This building serves as a single point of access for battery research, development, testing, and commercialization.
Along with its individual projects and initiatives, Energy Systems Network offers workshops and consulting services to clients.
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