The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the allocation of $125 million for fundamental research on rechargeable batteries, to lay the groundwork for the transformation and decarbonization of the energy system through the formation and utilization of affordable and environmentally friendly energy sources.
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National, economic, and environmental security concerns will require transformative solutions built on new fundamental knowledge and capabilities acquired via basic scientific research rather than incremental enhancements to existing clean energy technology.
For many contemporary technologies, from consumer electronics to electric cars, the capacity to sustainably store power for future use is essential. Lead acid and lithium-ion batteries, which now rule the market, have drawbacks.
By leveraging this funding opportunity, the Energy Innovation Hub projects will hasten the development of new battery chemistries, materials, and designs for revolutionary energy storage systems that will be used in transportation and on the country’s power grid.
The Biden-Harris administration has set aggressive decarbonization goals to address the climate crisis. Electricity plays a central role in virtually all possible pathways to decarbonization of our economy and renewable sources of electricity are already transforming the way we generate and use energy.
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Director, Office of Science, US Department of Energy
Berhe added, “But we need ways to better store the clean energy captured from solar and wind resources. The scientific discoveries and innovation from the Energy Innovation Hub program, in close coordination with DOE’s applied technology programs, will play a key role in ensuring that the US plays a leading role in transforming the way we store and use electricity.”
This FOA will encourage new discoveries in the Energy Innovation Hub for Batteries and Energy Storage program to enhance the basic understanding of the generation of rechargeable batteries and associated electrochemical energy storage.
Large teams will be put together as part of the proposed initiatives to carry out coordinated, collaborative, synergistic, and highly multidisciplinary basic research to address technical issues for the next generation of batteries.
The proposed study will focus on the most important scientific issues in this field, expand on previous discoveries and achievements, and, when compared to similar global research initiatives, reflect a world-leading scientific program.
Applications that are headed by or include Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), are highly encouraged to improve the commitment to fostering a diversity of investigators and institutions sponsored by the DOE Office of Science.
All accredited colleges and universities, national laboratories, nonprofits, and private sector companies in the United States are eligible to apply. Up to $125 million in funding is anticipated over a four-year period.
The Funding Opportunity Announcement will be the focus of a webinar on February 8th, 2023, at 3 PM EST.
Source: https://www.energy.gov/