Washington, DC – Today, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced that the Coal Communities Regional Innovation Cluster (CCRIC) in Logan County, West Virginia, which Chairman Manchin supported through a Congressionally Directed Spending request included in the FY2022 Appropriations Bill, recently signed a $4 million grant agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy, and has received $4 million in matching funds from the private sector.

“For generations, West Virginians have sacrificed in order to power our great nation and provide the energy we needed to become the superpower of the world. This funding announcement is a recognition of that legacy and will help to bring new opportunities to West Virginia’s coal communities that will keep us on the leading edge of energy innovation and continue our work as America’s Energy Powerhouse,” said Chairman Manchin.

Project Description Below:

The Coal Communities Regional Innovation Cluster (CCRIC) will consist of a cluster of demonstration projects which exhibit potential to transition coal communities to high potential energy technology applications. The purpose of the CCRIC is to promote economic resiliency and diversification through the fostering of targeted high technology industrial projects, while addressing environmental and power-grid concerns in Logan and surrounding counties.

The specific objectives of the CCRIC are to (1) demonstrate novel renewable energy technologies; (2) Execute commercial applications which reduce carbon footprints in key industries of waste management, electricity generation, industrial heat production, enhanced oil & gas recovery, and renewable fuel production; (3) de-risk integration of novel energy technologies for targeted applications; and (4) collect and monitor performance data of the cluster projects.

The innovative Solis Power Ayman Solar Concentrator (ASC) technology will demonstrate potential energy transition opportunities while supporting existing industries such as clean energy generation, industrial heating processes, and fossil fuel extraction, all of which are of direct interest in Appalachia.