Illinois Tech hosts EV Readiness Community Awards, showcasing nation-leading energy innovation

(Press-News.org) CHICAGO—August 7, 2025—Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) hosted the third annual EV Readiness Community Award Ceremony this week, celebrating 17 local governments across northern Illinois for their leadership in preparing for the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). The ceremony, co-led by ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, brought together mayors, municipal leaders, industry experts, and elected officials to recognize communities that have earned EV Ready designations through actionable local policy, planning, and infrastructure.

The event featured remarks from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Senator Dick Durbin, ComEd CEO Gil Quiniones, Illinois Tech President Raj Echambadi, and leading municipal officials. Attendees explored an EV fleet showcase, met with program sponsors, and toured Illinois Tech’s nationally recognized energy infrastructure—including the first operational smart microgrid in the United States and trigeneration plant construction underway expected to meet 95 percent of the university’s electricity needs when it is completed in 2026.

“Illinois Tech is proud to host these awards and celebrate communities that are building a more innovative transportation future,” says Echambadi. “As a university committed to solving real-world problems through technology and education, we’re advancing the energy systems and workforce needed to power America’s economic competitiveness.”

Located in the heart of Chicago’s South Side, Illinois Tech is a national leader in smart grid and sustainable energy research. Its microgrid, launched in 2013, was the first of its kind in the country and has saved the university more than $10 million while providing resilient power and a living laboratory for students and faculty. The university’s microgrid includes solar, battery storage, and advanced controls, and is designed to “island” from the main grid in case of emergency, ensuring uninterrupted power for campus operations and research.

Complementing this innovation is the university’s new trigeneration system, currently under construction, which will recycle excess heat from power production to heat and cool 20 campus buildings with significantly greater efficiency. Upon completion, it is expected to reduce Illinois Tech’s carbon emissions by 40 percent and save up to 5 million gallons of water each year.

“What we’ve created here is a model for urban energy systems of the future—flexible, efficient, and intelligent,” says Mohammad Shahidehpour, director of the Galvin Center for Electricity Innovation, associate director of the Wanger Institute for Sustainability and Energy Research (WISER), and the architect behind the campus microgrid. “Our students are not just learning about clean energy—they’re building it.”

Among the communities honored were the City of Chicago, which achieved Gold status in this year’s cohort, along with River Forest and Rolling Meadows. The EV Readiness Program, developed by ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, has now supported 38 communities since its inception, helping local governments streamline permitting, plan municipal fleet transitions, and engage residents in EV adoption.

“The EV Readiness Program provides cities and counties across our region with the tools they need to lead the transition to electric vehicles,” says Gil Quiniones, president and CEO of ComEd. “Illinois Tech performs cutting-edge work in energy resilience, and this innovation is critical to building a more sustainable future.” 

As the state works toward a goal of placing 1 million EVs on the road by 2030 under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), the partnership between higher education, utility providers, and municipalities is becoming increasingly critical.

Illinois Tech’s leadership in energy innovation is also supported by national programs like the EcoCAR EV Challenge, in which 46 Illinois Tech students are redesigning a Cadillac LYRIQ with advanced automation and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technologies.

“This celebration is more than an awards ceremony,” says Echambadi. “It’s a glimpse into what’s possible when academia, government, and industry come together to solve society’s grand challenges.”

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