A recent study conducted on behalf of the
Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. found that Wisconsin is a national leader in electrification, but the industry’s long-term success is dependent on better collaboration between the state’s manufacturing and research and development sectors.
The report was prepared for WEDC by the
Center for Innovation Strategy and Policy at
SRI International.
It found that Wisconsin has a particularly high concentration of jobs in the electrification industry, almost 5.7 times more than the rest of the United States. There are 25,000 Wisconsin workers employed within the electrification industry. They mainly work within the categories of motor and generator manufacturing, relay and industrial control manufacturing, and other engine manufacturing.
The report also pointed to Wisconsin’s supply chain, which is moderately self-sufficient and localized, as an attribute that can help the state ramp up its electrification efforts.
“Our state is in the enviable position of having all the pieces in place to make electrification a key component of our economic future," said
Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC. “We have the manufacturers, we have a largely self-sufficient supply chain, and we have the expertise in research and development. Our global lead will continue to grow as our partners improve their communication and collaboration.”
Despite the state’s competitiveness, the report found that Wisconsin’s electrification efforts have “become stagnant” over the past decade.
The report cautions that “Wisconsin’s strength in power electronics and other electrification-related technologies is underrecognized both inside and outside of the state,” which may be preventing business and academic leaders from collaborating in ways that they could expand the state’s competitive advantages.
Several recommendations aimed at strengthening Wisconsin’s electrification cluster are recommended in the report.
They include building institutional capacity by creating an electrification industry conference and creating a consortium of industry and academic leaders to advance research; creating a power electronics consulting team; and accelerating the adoption and integration of power electronics by helping manufacturers by new equipment and space that help meet clean energy goals.
“Though Wisconsin is endowed with a strong and diverse base of assets in both industry and academia, stakeholders have noted the fragmented and siloed nature of electrification R&D as the foremost challenge to the development of a successful electrification cluster,” according to the report. “Between industry and academia, this disconnect is partly due to the time frame during which new technologies are developed.”
There is a “clear need” for an organization that facilitates collaboration between industry and academic organizations working in the field of electrification, according to the report.
Creating such a consortium of industry and academic leaders is estimated to take between three and five years, at a cost of between $100,000 and $500,000.
"The consortium can be a difference-maker for Wisconsin power electronics by yielding more research with commercial applications and testing opportunities," reads the report.
