U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu visited the United Technologies Research Center Friday morning in East Hartford, commending the company for its commitment to clean energy technology research, particularly its part in a $129 million Pennsylvania initiative.
On Thursday, Chu and President Barack Obama launched the $129-million Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster, following up on Obama’s State of the Union speech discussing America’s need to grow its research and development into clean technologies. United Technologies Research Center will be a key corporate member of this GPIC, which will leverage research into the commercialization of manufacture of new clean technologies. The GPIC will train the workforce in these advanced systems.
United Technologies received $10 million of this $129 million for its role in developing the new technologies and bringing them to market.
“I believe United Technologies’ commitment as a technology leader in energy efficiency and sustainability is positively reflected in the agenda of the current administration and its passion and commitment to innovation, and we are honored to host Secretary Chu at the Research Center,” said Michael McQuade, UTC senior vice president for science and technology, in a statement.
The United Technologies Research Center employs 500 people worldwide, the majority in East Hartford. The research center is a subsidiary of Hartford-based United Technologies Corp.
