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The B2B platform for full-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles: Policy News

US DoE announces funding opportunities for EV batteries

2009-12-09 - cars21.com

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The US Department of Energy has issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement regarding Batteries for Electrical Energy Storage in Transportation. By favouring high-risk, high reward battery research efforts, the department seeks to develop a new generation of ultra-high energy density, low-cost battery technologies for long electric range PHEVs and EVs.

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Download the Funding Opportunity Announcement for Batteries for Electrical Energy Storage in Transpo

The U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has announced a second round of funding opportunities for transformational energy research projects. “This solicitation focuses on three cutting-edge technology areas which could have a transformational impact”, said Chu, referring to the 3 areas of focus for this second round of funding, namely batteries for electric vehicles, biofuels and carbon capture. The funding, that will be made available through the US Department of Energy (DoE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), will amount to $100 million in total.

A preference for high-risk, high reward battery research efforts

Regarding the “Batteries for Electrical Energy Storage in Transportation” focus area, “ARPA-E seeks to develop a new generation of ultra-high energy density, low-cost battery technologies for long electric range plug in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs)”. “ARPA-E's objective is to fund high-risk, high reward research efforts that will promote leadership in this emerging EV battery market”, reads the DoE press release.

Topics of particular interest

According to the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

Metal-air battery approaches that address the low cycle life, low power density, and low round trip efficiency of current approaches, especially related to improvements in the bifunctional air cathode

Lithium-sulfur battery approaches that address the low cycle life and high self-discharge of existing state-of-the-art technology

Disruptive new Lithium-air battery concepts that have the potential to dramatically increase device level power density, cycle life, and round trip efficiency from their current low levels, with particular interest in advanced approaches for dramatically improving the performance and cycle life of the bifunctional air cathode

Advanced batteries with novel Li-metal anode protection schemes

Non lithium based intercalation batteries

Advanced Lithium-ion based battery systems that greatly exceed the energy density potential of existing traditional Lithium-ion based systems, including displacement reaction cathodes and other advanced approaches

Other highly novel battery/electrical energy storage approaches with potential for very high energy density and low cost

Novel battery architectures, manufacturing processes, and packaging schemes

Advanced battery chemistries, architectures, and manufacturing processes that hold strong potential to enable the U.S. to gain leadership in EV battery technology development and manufacturing

Next steps

The deadline for submitting concept papers has been set for 15 January 2010, with the deadline for submitting full applications anticipated for early March.