Kolman 3 Kw Seattle Wilson 10859557

Sparking electric vehicle (EV) research

March 18, 2013
Combined R&D firepower aimed at EV battery development

I am predicting transformational new battery systems for electric vehicles, and I am confident this will happen.

Why? Because the world’s leading scientists, engineers and manufacturers in energy storage are coming together under a single organizational roof and are being provided with the tools, resources and market reach necessary to produce major breakthroughs.

A multi-partner team, led by Argonne National Laboratory, has been awarded of up to $120 million over five years to establish a new Batteries and Energy Storage Hub.

The Hub, to be known as the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR), will combine the R&D firepower of five U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, five universities and four private firms in an effort aimed at “achieving revolutionary advances in battery performance,” say officials at the DOE.

In case you didn’t know, advancing next generation battery and energy storage technologies for electric and hybrid cars and the electricity grid are an element of President Obama’s energy strategy to reduce America’s reliance on foreign oil and lower energy costs for U.S. consumers.

Participants

JCESR brings the private sector, national labs and universities together to push the limits on battery advances and deliver new technologies and scientific approaches needed to transform the battery and energy storage industry and spur commercial innovation.  

Other national labs partnering with Argonne include: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. 

University partners include: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois-Chicago, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign and University of Michigan.

The four industrial partners are: Dow Chemical Company, Applied Materials, Johnson Controls and Clean Energy Trust.

Hubs

JCESR is the fourth Energy Innovation Hub established by the DOE since 2010. 

Energy Innovation Hubs are major integrated research centers with researchers from many different institutions and technical backgrounds that combine basic and applied research with engineering to accelerate scientific discovery in critical energy areas. They are modeled after the strong scientific management characteristics of the Manhattan Project, Lincoln Lab at MIT that developed radar, AT&T Bell Laboratories that developed the transistor and, more recently, the Bioenergy Research Centers to pioneer advanced techniques in biotechnology, including biofuels.   

About the Author

David A. Kolman | Contributor - Fleet Maintenance

Sponsored Recommendations

Ask the Experts: Boost Profitability by Capturing Body Repair Materials Billables

Quality body repairs on medium- and heavy-duty trucks depend on the use of specialized adhesives, sealers, and other allied materials. Unfortunately, many shops face challenges...

Fleet Maintenance E-Book

Streamline your fleet's maintenance and improve operations with the Guide for Managing Maintenance. Learn proven strategies to reduce downtime, optimize in-house and third-party...

Celebrating Your Drivers Can Prove to be Rewarding For Your Business

Learn how to jumpstart your driver retention efforts by celebrating your drivers with a thoughtful, uniform-led benefits program by Red Kap®. Uniforms that offer greater comfort...

Guide To Boosting Technician Efficiency

Learn about the bottom line and team building benefits of increasing the efficiency of your technicians in your repair shop.