Mainspring Energy to Build New Manufacturing Plant Near PIT

Mainspring Energy’s decision to build a state-of-the art manufacturing facility on Pittsburgh International Airport property spotlights the region’s reputation as an innovation epicenter.

The plant will produce up to 1,000 low-emissions linear power generators annually, which could meet the electricity needs of up to a quarter of a million homes.

Construction of the 292,000-square-foot facility in Findlay Township is expected to create nearly 300 jobs, at least 80 percent of which are expected to be unionized. Groundbreaking is expected in 2025.

Once operating in 2027, the facility will employ more than 600 people. Mainspring is committed to recruiting at least 20 percent of its new employees from underrepresented communities.

The $175 million project, which was announced on Oct. 22, is funded in part by $87 million from the U.S. Department of Energy Office under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and an $8.6 million investment from the state. The Mainspring project is one of only 14 nationwide to be selected by DOE to accelerate clean energy manufacturing.

“An historic hub of energy exploration and production, Pittsburgh today is a leader of energy transition,” said Stefani Pashman, CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. “Uniquely, Pittsburgh can meet Mainspring where it needs to be to grow in a location with a deep history and a future in both energy and manufacturing.”

The new facility will be located in the Northfield Industrial Park on International Drive near the airport’s Neighborhood 91, the world’s first end-to-end additive manufacturing production campus. PIT also is the only airport in the world to be completely powered by a microgrid fueled by natural gas and solar energy.

Mainspring Energy was founded in 2010 in Menlo Park, California, by three Stanford engineers. The company’s linear generators create power from a range of fuel sources including natural gas and fuel sources of the future like biomass, landfill gas and even hydrogen. The generators will support the energy needs of businesses that want clean, reliable and relatively inexpensive electricity.

Allegheny County Airport Authority officials were part of the economic team lead by the Allegheny Conference for Community Development and state and county governments. They held early-stage meetings at the airport to explore possible locations for Mainspring and the government programs available to PIT to compete for the project.

The land at PIT boosted the recruitment drive in part because of air service connectivity to San Francisco. Due to past air service development work, United Airlines flies up to two daily nonstop flights between Pittsburgh and San Francisco.

Craig Gordon, head of Global Policy and Regulatory Affairs for Mainspring, said the flights were an important factor in determining the plant’s location.

“It became clear that a new economy company like Mainspring presented an opportunity that would be a big win and offered economic generation and jobs for our region. The airport property location in this case heightened that notion and opened additional strategies in a new job growth sector,” Vince Gastgeb, ACAA’s Chief Corporate and Government Relations Officer said.

“Being able to work with Mainspring officials from the start allowed a better process for the airport to provide the economic advantages that we knew where they existed and how to lobby for them. For example, a state tax credit program aimed at new job creation on airport properties that we were instrumental in getting passed.”

“We are excited to welcome Mainspring Energy to the region, alongside the many partners we worked with to provide a pad-ready site with amenities that are only available on our airport campus,” said Christina Cassotis, CEO, Allegheny County Airport Authority. “With their strong spirit of innovation and bright future, this is another competitive asset to grow Pittsburgh’s economy.”