New center in Newport News will help shape Virginia’s energy future
The Secure Energy Future Center at Tech Center Research Park connects researchers, industry, and local leaders working on energy resilience across Hampton Roads.
The new Secure Energy Future Center at Tech Center Research Park in Newport News is bringing together university research, industry expertise, and government partners to help move energy technologies closer to deployment, commercialization, and practical use.
As energy demand climbs and infrastructure strains to keep up, the center’s opening signals a sharper focus on energy resilience, workforce development, and regional collaboration in Hampton Roads.
Operated by the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center and located next to the Virginia Tech Newport News Center, the Secure Energy Future Center builds on the region’s distinctive assets — world-class university research, a major defense and maritime presence, port and logistics assets, and proximity to federal research powerhouses such as the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility and NASA’s Langley Research Center. Designed as a hub for collaboration, the center will support training, innovation, and industry engagement aimed at helping new energy ideas move closer to use.
“We’re proud to be part of this growing node of innovation — neighboring Jefferson Lab, NASA Langley, and some of the world’s most advanced defense and maritime infrastructure,” Virginia Tech President Tim Sands said. “We serve the commonwealth by being present in communities and industries and working side-by-side on discoveries and innovations that make a difference for real people.”
More than 100 leaders from government, higher education, and industry gathered April 22 for a first look at the new collaboration space, which features a large LED wall for interactive displays.
“The Secure Energy Future Center reflects the kind of visionary, ecosystem-driven approach we need right now — where research, industry, and talent converge to solve real-world challenges,” said Justice Elizabeth McClanahan, CEO of the Virginia Tech Foundation. “Its strategic location at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center and deep connection to Virginia Tech positions it to accelerate innovation and deliver impact at scale."
Carrie Chenery ’08, Virginia secretary of commerce and trade, said the center reflects how energy has become central to economic development planning.
“If you think about the trajectory of economic development, it used to be finding a good building. And then it was finding a good site. And then workforce,” Chenery said. “Now it is, ‘What are we going to do about energy, demand, and energy supply, and energy in the future?’ How exciting for all of us to be here together, committed to this, leveraging public and private partnerships, academic leaders, nonprofits, and others in the region to make sure that we're focused on this.”
Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones framed the moment as forward-looking. “This is more than just a ribbon-cutting. It is a starting point,” he said. “A starting point for new ideas, new partnerships, and — my favorite — new investment.”
Funding from GO Virginia helped shape the center around regional priorities and key industries. Led by the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center and developed in collaboration with Virginia Tech, the Hampton Roads Alliance, the Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable, the city of Newport News, W.M. Jordan Co., ITA International, and other partners, it reflects years of planning and has emerged as one of the flagship projects in the Hampton Roads Playbook.
“This is as much about economic opportunity as it is about energy,” said John Lawson ’75, executive chairman of W.M. Jordan. “By aligning research from world-class universities with industry needs and workforce development, we’re helping ensure that innovation translates into jobs, growth, and long-term resilience for the commonwealth and beyond.”
Virginia Tech’s contribution goes beyond research. The university also runs training programs, convenes regional partners, and helps companies put new energy ideas to work.
“Hampton Roads is uniquely positioned to lead in this space,” said Chelsea Olivieri, managing director of the Tech Center Research Park and the Secure Energy Future Center. “This new center gives us a place to connect partners and move ideas forward in ways that are grounded in real-world application.”
The center’s work will span energy literacy, research and demonstration, commercialization, and talent development. Initial programming includes training and certifications, entrepreneur accelerator partnerships, energy technology networking events, and immersive demonstration capabilities in its new innovation suite.
Connecting research, markets, and workforce needs
A defining feature of the Secure Energy Future Center (SEFC) is its focus not only on new ideas, but also on what it takes to advance them — education, demonstration, commercialization, and talent development.
That work is already taking shape through an energy education series hosted by the Virginia Tech Newport News Center, part of Outreach and International Affairs. The no-cost, eight-part series paired industry expertise with insights from faculty members and was designed for local government leaders, planners, economic developers, and others helping shape the region’s future. Its goal was straightforward: to give decision-makers a clearer understanding of energy systems, infrastructure needs, and the trade-offs communities will face as they plan ahead. Participants who complete the program receive a Virginia Tech credential.
“The great thing about the SEFC courses is the ability for moderators and speakers to explain high-level technology concepts to people with diverse career backgrounds in a way that is accessible,” said Lindsay Hurt, director of the New Kent County Economic Development Department. “I have been able to bring back knowledge and concepts that help me understand what the future of energy looks like in Virginia and globally.”
Each session explored a different part of the energy landscape, including natural gas, solar, hydrogen, wind, nuclear, fusion, storage, and electric power systems. Faculty members from the College of Engineering shared developments in the field while also building relationships with industry leaders and community partners.
In a session on hydrogen, Rohit Pandey, assistant professor in the Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering, helped participants weigh what’s technically possible against what’s economically realistic. He pointed to hydrogen’s promise for long-duration storage while addressing the infrastructure and scale challenges that still stand in the way.
“Decisions made today about energy generation, storage, and infrastructure will shape reliability, cost, and resilience for years to come,” Pandey said. “A systems-level perspective helps ensure new technologies are evaluated in the context of existing needs and regional constraints.”
As the center grows, leaders say that work will expand to include additional training, demonstration, and industry-facing programming designed to help new technologies move closer to market.
A growing presence in Hampton Roads
Tech Center Research Park, a mixed-use development designed to bring research, business, and community life into closer contact, gives Virginia Tech a strong platform for working alongside industry, federal partners, and local leaders in a region central to the commonwealth’s economic and energy future.
That regional presence is set to grow further. The U.S. Department of Energy recently selected Virginia Tech and the Southeastern Universities Research Association to manage and operate the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, one of the nation’s premier nuclear physics laboratories. The joint venture expands opportunities for strategic partnerships, gives the university direct access to world-class facilities and researchers, and strengthens Virginia Tech’s innovation network with deeper regional ties in Hampton Roads.
“Tech Center Research Park is built to support innovation and growth in this region,” Olivieri said. “By co-locating companies, research, and workforce development, we’re helping accelerate new ideas and create long-term economic opportunity.”
The Virginia Tech Newport News Center helps activate that shared space by convening partners, supporting programming like the energy education series, and connecting community needs with university resources.
“The power of this work is in the connections,” said Mallory Tuttle M.S. ’14, associate director of the Newport News Center and the Center for Economic and Community Engagement. “When you bring together industry, faculty, and local leaders, you create a shared understanding that helps communities plan, adapt, and move forward.”
Building what’s next
As the Secure Energy Future Center begins operations, its leaders see it as a platform for long-term collaboration.
What that looks like in practice is a question the center’s first year will begin to answer.
“Through sustained partnerships and a focus on real-world impact, the university continues to help shape Virginia’s future,” Tuttle said. “Energy security, workforce development, and regional collaboration all depend on that kind of shared effort.”
