Leading U.S. labs to explore breakthroughs in sustainable battery technologies.

In a move to bolster U.S. energy security and advance clean energy technologies, the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $125 million to two Energy Innovation Hub teams to drive next-generation battery and energy storage research.

As the demand for cleaner energy and more efficient storage solutions grows, addressing the limitations of current technologies has become increasingly urgent, pushing for breakthroughs in sustainable and reliable energy storage essential for the transition to renewable energy sources and the decarbonization of transportation.

To meet these challenges, two leading research teams have been selected to spearhead this effort under the DOE's Energy Innovation Hubs – collaborative initiatives that unite top experts from national laboratories, universities, and industry to tackle the most pressing energy challenges.

The Energy Storage Research Alliance (ESRA), led by Argonne National Laboratory, will focus on developing advanced batteries designed specifically for heavy-duty transportation and grid storage.

Meanwhile, Stanford University's Aqueous Battery Consortium will explore the potential of water-based batteries for long-duration energy storage on a large scale. Both teams are tasked with pushing the boundaries of existing technology to create the next generation of energy storage solutions.

This initiative is a critical component of the DOE's strategy for tackling fundamental challenges in energy storage. By delving into foundational research – where the exploration of novel materials and unconventional chemical processes takes center stage – these teams are aiming for groundbreaking innovations that could redefine the future of energy storage.

These efforts are further supported by the DOE's Basic Energy Sciences (BES) program, a cornerstone initiative dedicated to understanding and manipulating matter at the most fundamental levels.

By driving research that uncovers the principles governing new materials and chemical processes, BES aims to pave the way for revolutionary advances in how we store and utilize energy.

"Providing the scientific foundation to accelerate this important research is key to our economy and making sure the U.S. plays a lead role in transforming the way we store and use electricity," said Harriet Kung, DOE's acting director for the Office of Science. "Today's awards provide our Energy Innovation Hub teams with the tools and resources to solve some of the most challenging science problems that are limiting our ability to decarbonize transportation and incorporate clean energy into the electricity grid."