Energy Storage
Reliable power from microwatts to megawatts
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:
- Large-scale: Batteries developed for stationary energy storage harness renewable energy to help develop a resilient, more reliable power grid. Our researchers are breaking down barriers—such as higher cost and limited storage capacity—to make widespread deployment a reality and electricity more cost-effective for consumers.
- Transportation: Electric vehicles require longer-life batteries that can be quickly and repeatedly charged and discharged. We are working to significantly enhance the performance of these batteries.
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.
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Scientists Pinpoint Cause of Harmful Dendrites and Whiskers in Lithium Batteries
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.
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National Grid and 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.
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Scientists Widen the Temperature Range for Electric Car Batteries
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.
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Optimize, not Oversize
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.
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Molecular Mayhem at Root of Battery Breakdown
Scientists at PNNL have uncovered a molecular game of musical chairs that hurts battery performance.
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New Collaborative Emerges to Help Advance Energy Storage
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.
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Liu Honored for Individual Lifetime Achievement in Science and Technology
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
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Stopping Fires before They Start: How a Salty Solution is Giving Lithium Metal Batteries a Safety Check
A PNNL research team has addressed safety as well as performance challenges posed by lithium metal batteries through the development of a new electrolyte.
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Pharmaceutical Material Shows Promise for Better Grid-Scale Batteries
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.
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"Hot" New Cathode Finding Could Boost Battery Performance
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.