DCEO, Rockford and Winnebago County welcome "The Grid"

Rockford-The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), the City of Rockford and Winnebago County are proud to announce the arrival of a new state-of-the-art electric systems lab in Rockford.

Collins Aerospace Systems is opening "The Grid," a high-power, high-voltage $50 million facility for the design and testing of systems for the electric aircraft of the future. The systems created in the lab will be used on future commercial, military, business aviation, UAV and urban air mobility platforms.

Today's reveal event provided a first look at Rockford's 25,000-square-foot lab that should be complete and fully operational by 2021. The Grid not only represents the commitment of Collins Aerospace to the future of electric flight, but also its commitment to the city of Rockford—a key site for almost a century. The Grid received critical support from the city of Rockford, Winnebago County and the state of Illinois.

"We are thrilled that with this $50 million lab, Collins is making a significant investment in Rockford, Illinois and the state's workforce," said DCEO Acting Director Erin Guthrie. "Illinois invests in companies that invest in themselves and create careers that support families.  The Pritzker Administration is working to keep Illinois strong and prosperous as we look to the future."

"Collins Aerospace is a worldwide leader in aviation and they are a critical part of our cluster of advanced aerospace manufacturing companies in the Rockford region," said Mayor Tom McNamara. "We're proud Collins is making this investment in its Rockford facility and look forward to the positive impact it will have on our city, our region and the state." 
 
"Collins Aerospace has a long and strong history in electric systems," said VP of Electric Power Systems Nate Boelkins, who spoke at the event. "The Grid represents a strategic investment for us, as it will position us to remain the world leader in aircraft electrification for decades to come. We are redefining aerospace, and we're doing it right here in Rockford."

Collins Aerospace is a unit of United Technologies Corp. Among the first platforms to be supported by The Grid will be the recently unveiled United Technologies hybrid-electric flight demonstrator, Project 804. The goal of Project 804, developed by the company's advanced products group, is to re-engine and fly a regional turboprop aircraft powered by a 2 megawatt-class hybrid-electric propulsion system on a highly aggressive timeline.