April 24, 2026

Secure Energy Future Center Celebrates Grand Opening on Earth Day, Marking New Era for Energy Innovation in Hampton Roads

Newport News, VA — April 22, 2026 — Regional and state leaders gathered on Earth Day to celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the Secure Energy Future Center (SEFC) at Tech Center Research Park, officially launching a first-of-its-kind innovation hub designed to advance next-generation energy solutions in Virginia and beyond.

Hosted by the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center (VTCRC), the April 22 ceremony marked a major milestone for a regional initiative that brings together academia, industry and government to accelerate commercialization of advanced energy technologies, strengthen workforce pipelines and position Hampton Roads as a national leader in secure energy innovation.

Located in Newport News, SEFC is designed to transform Virginia’s strategic coastal advantages into one of America’s most effective platforms for energy innovation, connecting breakthrough research with market-ready applications that support economic growth, national security and long-term energy resilience.

“When you think about the trajectory of economic development, it used to be about finding a good building, and then it was finding a good site and then it became finding the workforce,” said Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Chenery in her remarks. “Today, a critical part of the economic development discussion is what we are going to do about energy demand and energy supply in the future. That’s why it is so exciting for all of us to be here together committed to solving our most pressing energy challenges, fully leveraging public and private partnerships, academic leaders, non-profits and others across the region.”

The center was made possible in part through seed funding from GO Virginia Region 5, whose grant investment helped launch the initiative and align it with the Hampton Roads Playbook’s long-term economic development strategy. SEFC was developed through a collaboration led by VTCRC in partnership with Hampton Roads Alliance, Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable, Virginia Tech, the City of Newport News, W.M. Jordan Company and numerous public- and private-sector partners committed to strengthening Virginia’s advanced energy economy.

“GO Virginia exists to support bold regional collaborations that create high-impact economic opportunities, and the Secure Energy Future Center is exactly that kind of investment,” said Thomas Frantz, Chair of GO Virginia Region 5. “This initiative brings together the right partners, in the right place, around one of the most urgent challenges of our time — building a secure, reliable and innovative energy future. We are proud that GO Virginia helped catalyze a project with such transformative potential for Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth.”

SEFC focuses on six integrated pillars: energy literacy, research and modeling, innovation and demonstration, technology commercialization, talent pipeline development and regional growth support. Initial programming includes industry-aligned training and certifications, entrepreneur accelerator partnerships, energy technology networking events and immersive demonstration capabilities housed in SEFC’s new innovation suite.

“The opening of the Secure Energy Future Center represents the beginning of a new chapter for Virginia’s energy economy,” said Chelsea Olivieri, Managing Director of the Secure Energy Future Center. “SEFC is where energy innovation meets market reality — a place where researchers, entrepreneurs, industry leaders and policymakers can come together to solve real-world energy challenges, accelerate deployment of new technologies and create scalable solutions that benefit both our region and the nation.”

The Hampton Roads Alliance, a key strategic partner in SEFC’s development, has identified the center as one of the region’s flagship transformative projects under the Hampton Roads Playbook, helping align energy innovation with broader economic development priorities.

“The Secure Energy Future Center is a powerful example of what happens when regional collaboration turns vision into action,” said Doug Smith, President and CEO of the Hampton Roads Alliance. “Hampton Roads has the infrastructure, talent and strategic assets to lead in advanced energy, and SEFC gives us a platform to attract investment, support business growth and establish this region as a nationally recognized hub for energy innovation.”

Situated at Tech Center Research Park, SEFC leverages Hampton Roads’ unique assets — including the world’s largest concentration of Department of Defense facilities, unmatched maritime and logistics infrastructure, advanced data systems and proximity to major research institutions such as Jefferson Lab and NASA — to create a dynamic ecosystem for innovation and commercialization.

As part of its next phase, SEFC will continue expanding partnerships, launching demonstration projects, supporting energy startups and developing a pipeline of talent equipped to meet the rapidly evolving needs of the advanced energy sector.

Learn more at secureenergyfuturecenter.com.

Media Contact

Stephanie Heinatz

Consociate Media for SEFC

stephanie@consociatemedia.com

757-713-2199