SCHUMER DELIVERS NEARLY $16 MILLION TO STEUBEN COUNTY, ALSTOM, & BINGHAMTON BATTERY HUB TO DEVELOP CUTTING EDGE BATTERY TECH AT ALSTOM’S HORNELL FACILITY FOR NEXT GEN ENERGY-EFFICIENT TRAINS
Funding Will Help Alstom & Partners Produce And Test Hybrid, Battery-Powered Trains At Southern Tier Facility
Schumer Urged U.S. Transportation Secretary – Which Brings Together Two Emerging Areas Of Manufacturing In The Southern Tier – To Fund Project Boosted By The Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law
Schumer: Fed $$ For Battery-Powered Rail Development Puts Southern Tier On Track To Lead In Developing Future Of This Industry!
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced $15,982,500 for Steuben County IDA, in partnership with Norfolk Southern Railway, Binghamton University’s New Energy New York (NENY) consortium, and Alstom to develop new battery technology for more energy-efficient trains.
“This nearly $16 million in federal funding puts Steuben County IDA and its partners – including Alstom, a national leader in cutting-edge rail development – on track to develop new state-of-the-art hybrid locomotives that will enhance rail safety and improve climate resilience,” said Senator Schumer. “I’ve led the charge to establish the Southern Tier as a hub for battery manufacturing and research & development, and today’s investment will boost efforts to make sure the next generation of rail technology is stamped ‘Made in Upstate NY.’ I also fought to boost funding for the Department of Transportation’s rail infrastructure improvement program in the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law and am thrilled that the program is continuing to deliver for NY.”
This project will help produce and test two hybrid, battery-powered trains at Alstom’s Southern Tier facility and aims to enhance safety and improve climate resilience. The federal funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program, which Schumer fought to increase funding for in his Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law.
“Alstom is grateful to Senator Schumer for his support and leadership that has made New York's Southern Tier the nation's center of rail manufacturing excellence,” said Michael Keroullé, Alstom Americas President. “Together with our partners, Steuben County Industrial Development Agency, Binghamton University and Norfolk Southern, we will use this project to develop and test new battery and rail technologies to help advance efforts to decarbonize the freight sector.”
Steuben County Industrial Development Agency’s Federal Railroad Administration’s Hybrid Locomotive Project aims to develop new battery technology to produce and test two hybrid, battery-diesel locomotives at Alstom’s Kanona facility in Bath. The rebuilt locomotives will use batteries as the primary power source, enhancing safety and improving climate resilience.
“The Steuben County Industrial Development Agency is pleased to be partnering with Alstom and Norfolk Southern Railway on the development of the locomotive of the future at Alstom’s facility in Kanona, New York. The CRISI award will help advance a new clean diesel battery hybrid technology that builds off the region’s deep history in transportation manufacturing and innovation in battery and clean energy technology. The project aligns the region’s strengths to establish the County as a leader in clean tech manufacturing. We appreciate the strong support that Senator Schumer has shown towards the Steuben County IDA and his commitment to new battery technology in the Southern Tier, ” said James C. Johnson, Executive Director of Steuben County Industrial Development Agency.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law, which Schumer crafted and led to passage in the Senate, included $5 billion over five years for the CRISI program. The program invests in various projects within the United States to improve railroad safety, efficiency, and reliability; mitigate congestion at both intercity passenger and freight rail chokepoints to support more efficient travel and goods movement; enhance multi-modal connections; and lead to new or substantially improved Intercity Passenger Rail Transportation corridors.
Schumer has long fought to secure federal investment to boost Binghamton and Upstate NY’s battery manufacturing and R&D. Most recently, Schumer announced the Binghamton University-led Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine won the esteemed U.S. National Science Foundation’s Regional “Innovation Engines” Competition (NSF Engines), which was created by his CHIPS & Science Law. Schumer said the Binghamton-led project was one of only ten projects across the country selected for this award which brings $15 million in federal funding, with up to $160 million total over the life of the program from the NSF to supercharge growth and cutting-edge research in battery development and manufacturing in Upstate NY.
"Our engineers have met with Alstom representatives and discussed future collaborations on this exciting project. Through our Watson College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and through all of our resources available through our New Energy New York and Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine programs, we stand ready to assist Alstom in any way we are able. Electrification of all forms of transportation-- vehicles, planes and trains-- is simply what has to happen in the US and we are pleased to play a role in this important transformation," said Dean Atul Kelkar, Watson College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Binghamton University.
Schumer secured the prestigious tech hubs designation for Binghamton University’s New Energy New York (NENY) project, which he also created in the CHIPS & Science Act, accelerating the Southern Tier’s emergence as America’s next battery tech hub. Receiving that designation made $500,000 in funding through the CHIPS & Science Law, along with the potential for philanthropic and private sector investment, possible. Schumer designed the Tech Hubs program to strengthen a region’s capacity to commercialize, manufacture, and grow technology in key focus areas like batteries, and now, thanks to his efforts, Binghamton is spurring innovation and bringing the manufacturing of batteries back to America, all while supporting the economic resurgence of the Southern Tier.
In addition to the NSF Engine award and national recognition through the Tech Hubs program, Schumer’s American Rescue Plan created programs like the $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) that also supported Binghamton’s efforts. Schumer personally advocated for the selection of Binghamton University’s battery hub proposal for the BBBRC federal investment and in December 2021, Binghamton’s project was selected as a Phase 1 awardee out of over 500 applications from around the country to compete for a final award. In April 2022, Schumer personally visited the Southern Tier to double down on his advocacy, standing with Dr. Whittingham, to reiterate his support and urge federal leaders to select Binghamton as a final Regional Challenge awardee.
Finally, in September 2022, Schumer secured Binghamton’s spot as a final awardee, with a $63.7 million federal investment, one of the largest grants made in the competition, which was matched by $50 million in funding from New York State, to help make the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes a national hub for battery research and manufacturing. Additionally, Schumer brought Dr. Whittingham as his guest to last year’s State of the Union to highlight Binghamton’s national leadership in battery technology.
A copy of Schumer’s letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg can be found below:
Dear Secretary Buttigieg:
I am pleased to write on behalf of the Steuben County Industrial Development Agency’s application to the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) Program. This collaborative effort between the Steuben County IDA, Alstom, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Binghamton University’s New Energy New York (NENY) consortium will result in the production and testing of two hybrid, battery-diesel locomotives. The project will demonstrate the efficiency, reliability, and commercial viability of technology that can be implemented to help accelerate the reduction of carbon emissions in the freight rail industry.
In particular, the project will convert two GP 38/40 locomotives into a battery-diesel hybrid design. These locomotives will be remanufactured at Alstom’s Kanona facility in Bath, NY, and will reuse existing steel frames to significantly reduce carbon emissions. The rebuilt locomotives will use batteries as the primary power source, increasing pulling capacity by approximately 50% and maximizing engine efficiency. In addition, the locomotive will be designed to allow for the diesel engine to be replaced with zero emission technology as it becomes commercially and technology viable. This is a first step toward developing important prototype technology that has the potential to greatly benefit both industry and the environment.
The Southern Tier is well positioned to help advance energy storage solutions for the freight rail industry given Binghamton University’s NENY. Following years of personal advocacy, NENY was designated a U.S. Economic Development Administration (U.S. EDA) Regional Technology and Innovation Hub, National Science Foundation (NSF) Regional Innovation Engine, and secured significant investment through the Build Back Better Regional Challenge. These federal awards recognize the region’s ability to lead the nation in battery innovation. Hence, the collaboration with experts at Binghamton University on battery-related subjects such as power density, modeling, and
optimization underscores the potential of this project.
I applaud the Steuben County Industrial Development Agency and the other partners for their foresight and sincerely hope the application is met with your approval. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or my grants coordinator at (202) 224-6542.
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