NSF Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York

Award ID: 2315695

This NSF Engines award to the Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine will address the entire battery technology value chain to establish a tech-based, industry-driven innovation hub. Battery technology development and deployment involves multicomponent distributed supply chains. The NSF Engine will cover the battery lifecycle spanning materials, components, cells, modules, packs, system management, industrial applications, and recycling, with industry partners secured along each step. The NSF Engine will address industry- and technology-level challenges including material sourcing and recovery, battery component innovation, safety testing and certification, pilot manufacturing, applications integration, and workforce training. The industry- and community-responsive NSF Engine programs will catalyze high-tech R&D outcomes and drive economic development at the regional and national levels. The NSF Engine will leverage transformational investments from the Economic Development Administration and the NSF and the collective capacity of NSF Engine partners to position Upstate New Yorks emerging battery ecosystem as an international leader in the sector, powering American battery innovation and domestic supply chain resiliency. The Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine service region comprises 27 counties in Western, Central, Southern Tier, and Finger Lakes Regions of the state of New York, spanning micropolitan and majority-rural areas with more than 4 million residents and more than 100 federally designated Opportunity Zones. The region has suffered from decades of economic downturn and has 30% rural communities. The NSF Engine leverages a large ecosystem of core partners that includes R1 universities (Binghamton University, Cornell University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, and University of Buffalo), major industry partners (including BAE, Raymond, Li-Cycle, iM3NY, NYSEG, Electrovaya, Kodak and others), many of the regions small and medium manufacturers, industry trade organizations (including New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium NY-BEST), incubators and investors (including Launch NY and IncubatorWorks), and workforce development partners (including BOCES, SUNY Corning Community College, SUNY Broome Community College, Jamestown Community College, Green Force). This coalition of partners will be central to R&D, translation, and workforce development efforts. The key areas identified for use-inspired R&D were shaped by extensive discussions with industry partners, National Laboratories, and Federal agencies. These areas include innovations in material sourcing and processing, alternative chemistries and next-generation battery technologies, improved metrology, battery manufacturing process innovation, material recovery and recycling, and safety and testing. All these research thrusts are aimed at developing leapfrog innovations to bolster domestic battery production and reduce dependence on non-domestic supply chains. Lithium battery production depends upon critical minerals whose domestic supply is at risk for disruption, and there are further major gaps in the processing of active materials and production of key battery components; these gaps underscore the need to develop alternative approaches, such as introduction of new and alternative materials, as well as improved metrology in production lines to reduce waste in manufacturing. Material recovery and recycling, as well as the development of alternative chemistries, can reduce the need for critical minerals and dependence on unstable foreign supply chains. Finally, with safety and testing issues critical at various levels of battery development and production, the NSF Engine will pursue a holistic design approach to improving battery system safety, with system-scale testing capabilities. The Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine provides a comprehensive technology translation plan from lab to market that starts with industry-informed R&D and transitions technology development through venture launch and growth, proof-of-concept, prototyping, to pilot projects, scaling, and commercial development with external funding. Specifically, the NSF Engine will provide support for early-stage regional startups with gap grants for early development prototyping efforts, as well as for venture development needs including intellectual property. The NSF Engine will provide a comprehensive suite of regional R&D, testing, and pilot production infrastructure to support battery development at various stages. The Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine has worked closely with industry partners to identify skills and training needs, and with workforce development organizations to develop a comprehensive plan for workforce development to support this important industry. The NSF Engine will expand STEM education and workforce development across all levels to deliver skilled technicians, engineers, and entrepreneurs to support the projected growth of the industry and the development and deployment of battery innovations. Workforce development efforts span from next-generation pre-college; to undergrad, grad, and postdoc; to reskilling of existing workforce. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Jessie Dearo