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TCCI outlines $45 million Clean Energy Innovation Hub and workforce academy in Decatur
Summary
TCCI Manufacturing told the council the $45 million Clean Energy Innovation Hub — including a climatic testing center and a workforce academy with Richland Community College — is opening this fall; the company said the project links local industry, state and federal partners and will support hiring and training.
TCCI Manufacturing updated the Decatur City Council on the Clean Energy Innovation Hub, a $45,000,000 public‑private partnership involving TCCI, Richland Community College, the State of Illinois and the City of Decatur.
Kara Dimergen Huss, senior vice president at TCCI, described three pillars of the project: TCCI's electric compressor manufacturing operations and local hiring; the Climatic Center for Innovation and Research (CCIR), a testing facility with environmental and vehicle dyno capabilities developed with Illinois EPA and Argonne National Lab partnerships; and the Clean Energy Workforce Academy in partnership with Richland Community College to train technicians, EV and hybrid technicians, HVAC workers, and other roles.
Huss said the facility will host climate testing "for minus 30 to plus 130, humidity, wind up to 100 miles an hour" and an "EPA certified dyno to test against roadway conditions," adding that she believes "there is no other publicly available facility in the United States that has this magnitude of testing capabilities." She said the governor visited the site and that work is underway with federal agencies and academic partners.
On the workforce side, Huss described the Clean Energy Workforce Academy embedded in the manufacturing facility, noting nearly 300 graduates across seven cohorts in training tied to industry needs and that the program integrates community college coursework for hands‑on learning. She said the eighth cohort had completed training in the academy and the fall expansion will include an associate of science STEM pathway with Richland to bring programs into high schools.
Huss said the partnership leverages regional industry (naming ADM, Caterpillar, Mueller and others) and apprenticeship relationships with IBEW and trade partners. She announced TCCI will host a recruitment and hiring event on June 4 at the TCCI facility.
Council members and staff did not take a formal vote on the presentation; TCCI asked the council to support workforce pipelines and continued partnership. Huss said the Climatic Center would open this fall and invited council and the public to visit when invitations are available.
