Siemens Energy expands Innovation Center

Siemens Energy announced that it is expanding its Innovation Center – Orlando, the company’s largest and first global hub for innovation dedicated to accelerating the development of products and solutions to drive the energy transition through collaboration, rapid prototyping and testing.

A robot cuts the ribbon to inaugurate the expanded Siemens Energy Innovation Center-Orlando. (Photo: Siemens Energy)

Originally opened in October 2019, Siemens Energy said the facility also plays an important recruiting role for the U.S. in developing the transformational energy technologies of the future.

The company has spent over $30 million over the past four years in building its research & development operations in Florida. This new $2 million investment in additional space for Innovation Center—Orlando and $5 million in capital investment for advanced equipment will enhance the facility’s machine shop and technical application area, including its additive manufacturing capabilities and use of robotics to inspect and repair components for equipment like turbines capable of running on hydrogen. The investment will also expand the Center’s space dedicated to co-creation and include a TED Talk theater.

The growth of the Center will allow for more strategic partnerships with small business, universities, and new ventures as resources to support innovation are consolidated in one location, the company said.

“Innovation Center—Orlando represents a new model for driving transformational innovation across the energy industry,” said Rich Voorberg, president, North America for Siemens Energy. “When it comes to the energy transition, we know that time is of the essence, but also that we can’t do it alone.

Siemens Energy CEO Christian Bruch and Karim Amin, a member of the company’s board, tour the newly expanded space. (Photo: Siemens Energy)

“What the center provides is the space and the mentality for collaboration to thrive. With an ability to operate like a start-up and shift priorities quickly the Innovation Center enables us to reduce the time it takes to test new concepts from six months to six weeks.”

Siemens Energy has plans to open Innovation Centers around the world, with additional locations in Berlin, Abu Dhabi, and Shenzhen. Each center will operate on a partnership model with both academic and industry partners, and the work of each center will complement the others to help Siemens Energy reach its goals to foster low or zero-emission power generation, transport and store electricity, and reduce the carbon footprint and energy consumption in industrial processes.