Wyck Eisenberg
/ Released June 27, 2024
Johns Hopkins University will open a renewable energy lab atop R House in Remington, aiming to boost Baltimore’s reputation as a tech hub for sustainability innovation.
The Johns Hopkins University Ralph S. O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute (ROSEI) today announced that it has been awarded a state grant to establish an Energy Technology Laboratory on the second floor of R House, an innovative food market in Baltimore’s Remington neighborhood.
The Maryland Department of Commerce’s Build Our Future Grant Pilot Program and Fund awarded a $1.25 million grant to help ROSEI expand from basic office space to a headquarters called R.Labs, which includes a 12,000-square-foot laboratory and advanced materials discovery and manufacturing process center.
“This is a win for Baltimore because it anchors a new energy hub in the city and furthers Remington’s reputation for entrepreneurship.”
Ben Link
Managing Director, ROSEI
“To improve Maryland’s competitiveness, we need to revitalize the sectors of our economy that are generating fresh ideas and innovative new technologies,” said Gov. Wes Moore, who earned his A&S in 2001, in a statement. “These grants will not only help individual companies grow, but also establish the tools and resources to support growing industries.”
The R.Labs New Energy/Tech Infrastructure Hub will focus on innovations in the energy transition, including carbon management, energy storage, wind power and grid optimization.
“Johns Hopkins University is grateful to Governor Wes Moore and the Maryland General Assembly for their vision and commitment to leveraging innovation across Maryland to address the impacts of climate change and prioritizing the financial support needed to build the infrastructure essential to the transition from a brown to a green economy,” said Michael Huber, director of Maryland government relations at Johns Hopkins University.
ROSEI Managing Director Ben Link said the state’s support will enable the institute to “build cutting-edge laboratories and create a long-term home.”
“This is a win for Baltimore because it anchors a new energy hub in the city and furthers Remington’s reputation for entrepreneurship,” Link said. “It’s also a win for the state of Maryland because this is a direct investment that will stimulate our economy at the state level, as energy technology will be a major driver of our economy for years to come.”
The Build Our Future fund provides grants for innovation infrastructure projects aimed at supporting a variety of sectors, including energy and sustainability. Based at the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering, ROSEI leads the university’s energy-related research and education programs.
Construction will begin in July and the final facility will be equipped to research the following innovations:
Design and manufacturing of portable electric batteries and integration of power control systems for offshore wind development. Modeling and simulation of the rise of renewable and distributed energy resources. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning to model clean energy challenges in grid optimization, offshore wind, EV battery materials and design, and equitable energy transition policies.
“What I’m excited about this investment from the state of Maryland is that all of the testing my group will perform at this facility will become more commercially meaningful,” said Regina Garcia Mendez, assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and core researcher at ROSEI, who will set up a battery technology development lab at the new headquarters. “The state-of-the-art facility will enable new research and attract more researchers and collaborations.”
Image caption: A state grant will allow ROSEI to convert office space above R House into a renewable energy lab.
Image courtesy of Will Kirk/Johns Hopkins University
Once the renovations are completed in late 2025, the new space will be accessible to other local technology companies and start-ups that don’t have the funds to set up their own advanced labs.
“The ‘Build Our Future’ program is a bold new way to accelerate the growth of innovative sectors where Maryland will lead and excel,” said Maryland Secretary of Commerce Kevin Anderson. “These grants will support innovation across Maryland, spur economic growth and help ensure our competitive position in these key industries.”
Once renovations are complete, R.Labs will realize an aspiration that ROSEI Founding Director Ben Schafer has had since the institute was founded in 2021. Shortly after the institute was founded, Schafer asked faculty working in the sustainable energy field how ROSEI could contribute, and the answer was unanimous: to build a clean energy facility with advanced capabilities.
“R.Labs is a first step in filling this need,” Schafer said.
