Presented by Solar Alliance, the award recognizes one of the first large-scale solar + storage installations for private industry in Tennessee

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council (TAEBC) awarded AESSEAL Inc. North American Headquarters with the 2024 Thomas B. Ballard Advanced Energy Leadership Award, which honors exemplary leadership and success in championing, connecting, and strengthening Tennessee’s advanced energy economy. 

Jon Hamilton, US General Manager of TAEBC Member, Solar Alliance, presented Chris Staackmann, Head of Operations for AESSEAL Inc. North American Headquarters, with the award at the 11th Annual Opportunities in Energy event held on Tuesday, November 19, in downtown Knoxville. 

AESSEAL was selected for the award based on its pioneering solar + storage sustainable manufacturing project at its headquarters in Rockford, Tennessee. Representing one of the first large-scale solar + storage installations for private industry in Tennessee, AESSEAL, in partnership with Knoxville-based Solar Alliance, constructed a state-of-the-art solar + energy storage system designed to enhance energy resilience and maximize clean energy use. Commissioned in 2024, the 526-kilowatt solar PV system, paired with a 500-kilowatt battery system, provides backup power and increases the self-consumption of the solar energy generated onsite for the entire 50,000 square-foot AESSEAL facility located in the Stock Creek Development Center, in Blount County.

“On behalf of the entire Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council, Solar Alliance is delighted to present our partner, AESSEAL, and their head of operations, Chris Staackmann, with this award,” said Jon Hamilton, US General Manager of Solar Alliance. “Chris has shown exceptional leadership in driving this project, fostering education within the manufacturing community, and working closely with local stakeholders and economic development leaders in Blount County. Solar Alliance was honored to serve as a partner in this project, which supports the local East Tennessee workforce while benefiting employees and customers throughout North America.” 

AESSEAL, a global industrial equipment supplier for the design and manufacture of mechanical seals and support systems, serves a wide range of industries by helping partners improve efficiency and meet sustainability goals. This solar + storage project is a key component of the company’s broader Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy and Net Zero program. AESSEAL’s parent company has already surpassed Net Zero in its global operations, and this project extends their ambitious sustainability goals to their U.S. facilities. The company’s mechanical seal solutions are also designed to promote water and energy conservation, reduce CO2 emissions, and lower industrial maintenance costs.

“Thank you to TAEBC for this recognition, and to Solar Alliance for their outstanding work in designing and installing the solar array,” said Chris Staackmann, Head of Operations for AESSEAL Inc. North American Headquarters. “As a global manufacturing business, we recognize that a scope of our operations has consequences for the environment around us. That’s why we’re thrilled this project will be able to power our company’s operations with renewable energy, and position AESSEAL as a model for other manufacturers in the Tennessee Valley Authority region.”

Each year, TAEBC presents a state or local leader with the Thomas B. Ballard Advanced Energy Leadership Award who exemplifies the tireless work of Tom Ballard, an unparalleled leader, educator, mentor, and advocate of Tennessee’s advanced energy economy.

AESSEAL’s project demonstrates the benefits of integrating renewable energy with advanced energy storage technologies, and showcases what is possible for larger facilities looking to enhance their energy independence and operational efficiency through sustainable solutions.

About the Thomas B. Ballard Advanced Energy Leadership Award

The annual award named for Tom Ballard, Chief Alliance Officer at PYA and Editor-in-Chief of Teknovation.biz, celebrates leadership, education, mentoring and advocacy in Tennessee’s advanced energy economy. Ballard was TAEBC’s first president upon its launch in 2014 and served on the board of directors until 2019. In 2019, TAEBC bestowed the first-ever Thomas B. Ballard Advanced Energy Leadership Award to Ballard himself, during TAEBC’s annual meeting at Schneider Electric’s Nashville Hub.

About Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council

TAEBC champions advanced energy as an economic development and job creation strategy. Advanced energy is technology neutral and includes electricity and transportation. Anything that makes energy cleaner, safer, more secure or more efficient is in the tent. No other entity in the state concentrates specifically on this robust sector. We educate public officials and business leaders about Tennessee’s advanced energy economy, establish strategic partnerships to connect assets with opportunities, and inform policy that expands and strengthens the industry. TAEBC hosts the Energizing Tennessee podcast, which explores the latest news and insights about the advanced energy sector. For more information, visit https://tnadvancedenergy.com.