Battery Council International collaborates with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to drive innovation in battery technology. Through strategic public-private partnerships, these efforts advance research, enhance energy storage solutions, and strengthen domestic manufacturing.
The DOE is critical to battery research and American leadership in innovation. To innovate and improve, all battery chemistries rely on scientific discoveries that are made possible by the preeminent researchers at institutions like the National Laboratories.
DOE opportunities directed to both domestic lead battery manufacturers and recyclers would help protect vital elements of the U.S. industrial base, and boost production of traditional starting, lighting and igniting car batteries, forklift batteries, and others vital for U.S. transportation and industry.
By strengthening strategic partnerships with energy storage technology companies and manufacturers, the Department of Energy and its national laboratories can provide transformative capabilities in science. The national laboratories are uniquely suited to complement industry capabilities to harness new innovations such as AI for public good. Unique, world-leading scientific user facilities at the national laboratories generate scientific data that is unavailable anywhere else in the world.
What if the lifecycle of a lead battery could increase by one-third? That’s one of many performance metrics the lead battery industry is pursuing, with help from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). It’s on a quest to ramp up manufacturing capability so that the U.S. demand for energy storage can be met by domestic sources by 2030.
The Energy Storage Grand Challenge initiative launched in early 2020 with millions of dollars earmarked to support development of battery technologies in America. The specific focus is energy storage innovation for utility services to help the U.S. reach its aggressive targets.
Progress is Underway: The DOE continues to recognize the potential of lead batteries by investing in their promise. In 2023, DOE selected lead batteries as one of 10 battery chemistries to thoroughly assess for DOE’s Long Duration Storage Shot™.
The program seeks 90% cost reductions for grid-scale energy storage technologies that can provide 10 hours or longer duration of energy storage by 2030. DOE’s lead battery technology assessment recognized many exciting opportunities for the technology and found that lead batteries are well positioned to meet target energy storage goals.
View DOE’s Technology Strategy Assessment for Lead Batteries
See the Roadmap: The lead battery industry’s executive summary identifies clear performance targets and collaborative research areas for lead battery technology. Each will position the industry for exciting partnerships that maximize a lead battery’s full potential.
Lead batteries have been in use for more than 160 years. Yet, there remains significant untapped potential in lead battery technology, and thus, great opportunity.
The lead battery industry and individual member companies have several high-tech research projects underway in collaboration with U.S. National Labs. These include:
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Press Release
April 9, 2024
As an industry, we have an incredible opportunity to lead the way in environmentally responsible recycling, and we must hold ourselves to the highest standards in doing so.
