Video: Argonne to Lead Energy Storage Hub for 5X Better Batteries

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Our Video Sunday feature continues with this press conference by U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announcing that Argonne National Laboratory has been selected for an award 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, will combine the R&D firepower of five DOE national laboratories, five universities, and four private firms in an effort aimed at achieving revolutionary advances in battery performance.

The goal of this effort is to deliver battery technology with 5X more capacity and efficiency in five years. Imagine a Nissan Leaf vehicle with a range of 500 miles on a charge or a solar-powered battery backup for your home for less than $10K.

This is a partnership between world leading scientists and world leading companies, committed to ensuring that the advanced battery technologies the world needs will be invented and built right here in America,” said Secretary Chu. “Based on the tremendous advances that have been made in the past few years, there are very good reasons to believe that advanced battery technologies can and will play an increasingly valuable role in strengthening America’s energy and economic security by reducing our oil dependence, upgrading our aging power grid, and allowing us to take greater advantage of intermittent energy sources like wind and solar.”

Advancing next generation battery and energy storage technologies for electric and hybrid cars and the electricity grid are a critical part of President Obama’s all-of-the-above energy strategy to reduce America’s reliance on foreign oil and lower energy costs for U.S. consumers. And HPC will make it possible. Amazing. Read the Full Story.