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Researchers in the Electrification and Energy Infrastructure Division are pursuing energy storage innovations to support the clean energy transition by improving the performance and energy density of batteries that power electric vehicles and the electric grid, as well as developing end-of-life recycling and reuse solutions for those batteries.
The division hosts two world-class research facilities that link transportation and the electric grid: The Battery Manufacturing Facility, or BMF, and the Grid Research Integration and Deployment Center, or GRID-C. Engineers in each facility are collaborating to protect electric reliability while enabling renewable energy integration and the electrification of transportation and home heating.
Battery researchers are exploring novel materials to enhance battery performance and safety. New battery formulations expand EV range while reducing battery weight and size. They are also expanding fundamental understanding of battery cycling and charging for specialized applications such as vertical takeoff and landing vehicles. Then they test new material combinations and parameters to improve battery performance under high-stress conditions.
Primary battery research interests in GRID-C include high-power and high-energy lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries, in addition to alternatives to lithium-ion battery technology; electrolytes and additives, battery engineering, and scale-up of battery components and cells. Researchers are characterizing battery components, enhancing understanding of the battery aging process, and probing causes of battery failure.
Batteries are an increasingly important component of the grid itself, storing renewable energy generated by solar panels and wind turbines for use when sun and wind are scarce. In GRID-C, researchers are developing new technologies ranging from battery-supported charging stations for long-haul trucks to banks of EV batteries for grid energy storage.
EEID researchers are also finding ways to close the current gap in EV battery reuse and recycling. They are developing methods for evaluating spent batteries for reusable parts and honing automated robotic battery disassembly. Engineers are attacking supply chain and environmental challenges by developing disassembly-line processes for removing critical materials from lithium-ion batteries. These solutions aim to make EV battery recycling safer, more efficient, and more cost-effective.
