Better batteries drive better technology. At PNNL, our researchers advance the growing and significant field of batteries through expertise in materials, manufacturing, and design. Our achievements in battery technology range from the creation of vanadium redox flow batteries—often used for grid energy storage—to powering devices the size of two grains of rice.
Our areas of battery expertise include the following:
The energy storage market is quickly growing—hovering around $320 million in 2016 and expected to be upwards of $3 billion by 2022. With the opening of our Advanced Battery Facility in 2015, our battery experts are uniquely positioned to propel research in this field to the highest level.
Scientists have uncovered a root cause of the growth of needle-like structures—known as dendrites and whiskers—that plague lithium batteries, sometimes causing a short circuit, failure, or even a fire.
PNNL Collaborate to Capture Full Value of Grid Energy Storage" />
With the simple cutting of a ribbon this week, residents of Nantucket Island, joined by state and local officials and representatives from National Grid, the U.S Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity (OE), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), ushered in a new era of energy resiliency and efficiency on the island.
PNNL scientists have created a chemical cocktail that could help electric cars power their way through the extreme temperatures that degrade the efficiency of current lithium-ion batteries.
Most people don’t really think about their electricity except when they pay their bill, or when the power goes out. Utility companies think about it all the time.
The Energy Storage Safety Collaborative seeks to forge stronger collaboration among all stakeholders associated with energy storage technology, from development and deployment to incident response and more.
Jun Liu, materials scientist, energy storage expert, and Battelle Fellow, was recognized with the PNNL Laboratory Director's Award for Individual Lifetime Achievement in Science and Technology
A PNNL research team has addressed safety as well as performance challenges posed by lithium metal batteries through the development of a new electrolyte.
PNNL scientists modified phenazine, a naturally occurring compound used in dyes and antibiotics, which could lead to a more efficient, less costly battery for grid-scale electricity storage.
Researchers at PNNL have found a novel way of synthesizing cathode materials, adding a step that could help batteries last longer and perform better. A paper capturing the details recently appeared in the journal Nature Energy.
