Rendering of the Desert Blume facility for long duration energy storage

Largest non-lithium battery project to break ground in Arizona this year

January 8, 2025 | ABC15 Arizona

SWSIE partners Salt River Project and CMBlu Energy are breaking ground this year on Desert Blume in Florence, Arizona, the largest long-duration energy storage facility in the United States.

It will provide energy for 1,125 average homes for 10 hours during non-daylight hours — longer (and safer) than a lithium-based facility.
Because of SWSIE, more of the workforce in the Southwest will become trained on working with this energy storage through its academic partners across Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

Pettinger to guide SWSIE’s sustainable technologies to market

December 2, 2024 | ASU News

Katie Pettinger is here to help bridge that considerable gap. As the new chief innovation officer of NSF Engines: Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine, or SWSIE, she’s responsible for developing a robust organization to accelerate the solutions and new technologies generated throughout SWSIE to commercialization.

Pettinger brings in-depth knowledge of every aspect of research commercialization, with previous roles in academia, industry, nonprofits and government.

A united front for sustainability and the economy

October 17, 2024 | ASU News

The SWSIE unity event brought the lead learning institutions’ presidents together, along with the the mayor of Phoenix and industry partners. SWSIE partners united to discuss their regional challenges and highlight SWSIE’s progress with more than a dozen shovel-ready projects through a pair of panel discussions on energy and entrepreneurship.

ASU President Michael Crow called the $15 million collaboration — with a possible $160 million total in funding over the next 10 years — historic and innovative.

More about NSF Engines: Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine

‘There’s so much we can do collectively’ University of Utah hosts NSF, regional partners at site visit

The University of Utah hosted the Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine (SWSIE) Site Visit highlighting the achievements of the first year of this project.

Read on research.utah.edu

Biochar farm robots win $500K Wilkes Climate Launch Prize

In partnership with SWSIE, the Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy at the University of Utah announced Applied Carbon as winner of the $500,000 Wilkes Climate Launch Prize.

Read on attheu.utah.edu

A Hidden Sea of Opportunity

The WAVR startup is the first to launch with the backing of SWSIE to tap into the high-powered insight and work from partners to transform access water from the atmosphere.

Read on unlv.edu/news

Hydrosat launches first payload to monitor hot-spots on Earth

SWSIE partner Hydrosat launched its first temperature-taking sensor, designed to measure water stress for civil & commercial environmental and climate change applications.

Read on breakingdefense.com

SWSIE Hires Brian Sherman as CEO

Brian Sherman, the new chief executive officer of NSF Engines: Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine brings decades of experience in entrepreneurship, public sector strategy.

Read on news.asu.edu

Inside Greater Phoenix’s climate tech innovation and sustainability boom

Greater Phoenix supports climate tech in various ways and hosts numerous climate tech firms, including SWSIE on developing a workforce for the net-zero economy.

Read on axios.com

‘Sustainability Engine’ aims to tackle climate challenges in the Southwest

To help confront climate challenges, the National Science Foundation has granted $15M to kickstart economic development in the region through job training and industry partners.

Read on kntv.com

NSF announces new partners in ASU-led climate, economy initiative

White House Office of Science & Technology Policy, NSF representatives join SWSIE to welcome new partners to establish region as leader in sustainability-based innovation, tech

Read on news.asu.edu

Engines for Change: UNLV Engineering, Economic Development Drive Regional Climate Innovation Partnership

Scientists and economic development partners at UNLV are joining with others across the region to do something about climate issues in the Southwest through SWSIE

Read on unlv.edu/news

A win for the environment and the economy in Utah, Nevada, Arizona

Driven by the U’s mission to find solutions for society’s critical challenges, SWSIE is an opportunity to tackle one of the biggest threats to the region.

Read on attheu.utah.edu

A win for the environment and the economy in the Southwest

ASU-led, NSF-funded initiative will power regional climate solutions that offer economic opportunities

Read on news.asu.edu

DRI, UNLV to Partner on Regional Climate Innovation Consortium

Led by ASU and supported by core academic partners from throughout the region, SWSIE aims to establish the SW as a leader in carbon, water and energy and workforce development.

Read on dri.edu

Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces Innovation Engines Awards, Catalyzing More Than $530 Million to Boost Economic Growth and Innovation in Communities Across America

The Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine will deploy new solutions to extreme regional dryness and heat, enabling equitable water and energy access.

Read on whitehouse.gov/briefing-room

NSF establishes 10 inaugural Regional Innovation Engines across the country

Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine is 1 of 10 inaugural engines to transform the region into a self-sustaining, technology and innovation-driven hub of economic activity

Read on news.nsf.gov