Gracie WarhurstThe University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) will receive $30 million from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) over the next three years to create a battery technology research center and worker training programs.
The U.S. has an increasing need for research and investment into renewable energy, especially in the growing battery energy storage industry. The initiative plans to develop and commercialize new technologies and manufacturing processes, improve the national availability of raw materials and train skilled workers in the industry. It will also provide resources for entrepreneurs to produce energy storage systems.
The money will go toward creating a prototype energy storage systems campus, called the Batteries and Energy to Advance Commercialization and National Security (BEACONS) center. The campus will include a research facility with space for developing and manufacturing batteries and energy storage solution. BEACONS will have four main goals:
- Optimizing existing battery systems, including integrating robotics and automation into manufacturing.
- Fostering the development of battery chemistries that reduce using scarce raw materials.
- Identifying and tracking supply chain challenges for critical minerals needed in energy storage systems, such as lithium.
- Developing a workforce for energy storage-system development and manufacturing.
