Batteries and Energy Storage for Transportation and the Grid

Researchers in the Electrification and Energy Infrastructure Division are pursuing energy storage innovations to support U.S. energy infrastructure, security and industry by improving the performance and energy density of batteries that power electric vehicles and the electric grid, as well as developing end-of-life reuse and remanufacturing solutions for those energy storage systems.

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. 

Energy storage researchers are exploring novel materials to enhance battery performance and safety. New battery formulations expand EV range while reducing battery weight and size. Researchers 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; and scale-up of battery components and cells. Researchers characterize 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. 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 remanufacturing. 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 for reuse. These solutions aim to make EV battery recycling safer, more efficient, and more cost-effective.