The Resilient Energy Technology & Infrastructure Consortium (RETI) — led by West Virginia University (WVU), in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, and more than 60 regional institutions — has been named a finalist for a $160 million National Science Foundation (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines award.
If chosen for full funding, RETI is projected to catalyze major economic and technological growth in Appalachia, potentially generating 21,000 jobs, launching 150 startups, and delivering over $1 billion in economic impact across the region.
RETI aims to tackle key challenges in energy resilience, grid modernization, industrial energy demands, and rising pressures from new technologies like AI and data centers. Its strategy includes advancing early‐stage technology transfer and deployment, upgrading energy infrastructure, improving grid reliability, and supporting sustainable industrial processes.
The initiative is headquartered at WVU’s Innovation Corporation in Morgantown, with a branch in Pittsburgh’s Energy Innovation Center. WVU serves as the lead institution, with CMU’s Scott Institute for Energy Innovation playing a central role in research, policy, and innovation.
RETI has already secured over $160 million in committed partner support from industry, investors, and workforce entities, which would be unlocked if the NSF funding is awarded. In earlier rounds, the consortium received a $1 million development award in February 2024, was selected among 71 finalists, then among 29 semifinalists before reaching finalist status.
State leadership in both West Virginia and Pennsylvania has praised the effort — seeing it as a way to reinforce regional industrial leadership, energy security, and economic resilience. Final NSF decisions are expected in the coming months.
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If you want, I can also pull up quotes from local stakeholders or compare RETI to other
finalist proposals.
