NSF awards up to $45M to scale Great Lakes RENEW water innovation engine
Current, a Chicago-based nonprofit water innovation hub, has secured up to $45 million in continued funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to expand its Great Lakes RENEW initiative, a regional effort focused on advancing a circular water economy.
The funding, to be distributed over three years, builds on NSF’s initial designation of Great Lakes RENEW as one of its Regional Innovation Engines and brings total federal support for the initiative to nearly $60 million to date.
Great Lakes RENEW aims to transform wastewater into valuable resources while addressing growing demands on freshwater supplies from industries such as data centers, energy production and manufacturing. The initiative includes a coalition of more than 75 partners spanning utilities, universities, national laboratories and private industry.
“Great Lakes RENEW is the culmination of a decade spent galvanizing leaders to recognize the economic value of water, and the collective power of our utilities, universities, national labs, and industries to solve global water challenges,” said Alaina Harkness, CEO of Current and CEO and principal investigator of Great Lakes RENEW, in a press release. “This new investment allows our coalition to collectively execute an ambitious strategy that positions the Great Lakes as a global leader in water innovation and security.”
Since its launch, the program has supported a range of research, commercialization and workforce development efforts. These include 12 research and development projects focused on circular water technologies, more than 40 pilot demonstrations through a regional testbed network, and accelerator programs supporting 22 water technology startups.
Notable advancements include a phosphate-recovery “sponge” developed at Northwestern University, a handheld PFAS detection device created in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory, and a containerized wastewater treatment system designed for energy-efficient municipal and industrial applications.
The initiative has also trained more than 560 workers for careers in the water sector and engaged over 1,200 students in STEM programs tied to water innovation, reflecting a broader push to build a skilled workforce for the so-called “blue economy.”
“Water security directly affects national security, and investing in our nation's innovation infrastructure to generate transformational solutions to our collective water challenges is central to the mission of the NSF Engines program,” said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, in a press release.
With the new funding, Great Lakes RENEW plans to expand its regional footprint across all Great Lakes states, scale pilot testing infrastructure, and accelerate commercialization of technologies focused on contaminant removal and resource recovery from wastewater streams.
The next phase will also emphasize policy development and market creation to support broader adoption of circular water solutions, as well as continued investment in research, workforce development and regional collaboration.