The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is investing in the future of energy storage by funding six teams to develop next-generation batteries with four times the energy density of current lithium-ion batteries. The DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) has committed up to $15 million to each team for prototype development within the next two years.
James Seaba, the program director at ARPA-E, emphasized the ambition of this initiative. “We want to develop a battery system or an energy system that has four times the energy density of lithium-ion batteries that we have today,” he stated. This leap in technology could significantly enhance the performance of military drones, robots, and aircraft.
The initiative, known as Jumpstart Opportunities to Unleash Leadership in Energy Storage with 1K Energy Storage Systems (JOULES-1K), began 18 months ago with thirteen teams. Following the initial phase, which cost $16.9 million, six teams have progressed to the next stage, focusing on creating scalable working prototypes.
Seaba noted that the first phase verified various components of the systems, including innovative chemistry. In the second phase, teams must deliver a comprehensive energy storage solution that can be manufactured at scale. As batteries become essential for military operations, there is an increasing demand for energy storage technologies that can be sourced domestically, reducing reliance on materials from countries like China, which is also pursuing advancements in battery technology.
Among the six performers is And Battery Aero, a startup based in Silicon Valley. The company is set to receive approximately $4 million to advance its battery technology tailored for drone applications. Venkat Viswanathan, the company’s founder and an aerospace engineering professor at the University of Michigan, shared that they have established partnerships with several commercial drone manufacturers. Their goal is to integrate this advanced energy storage solution to enhance drone endurance, payload capacity, and operational range.
Viswanathan also highlighted previous successes, noting that their technology achieved a 25 percent increase in energy density during a prior ARPA-E initiative. “We had a chemistry innovation, we had a material science innovation, we scaled it up, and then we integrated that into a packaged energy storage solution,” he explained. The next two years will focus on achieving the first demonstration flight, which he described as pivotal.
“There’s nothing like that first demonstration flight,” Viswanathan said. “All of these kinds of scientific advances face scaling challenges. And we know that it’s real. And so I think we have our work cut out for the next 24 months.”
Other teams involved in the JOULES-1K initiative represent prestigious institutions, including Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland – College Park, Illinois Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Precision Combustion. As these teams embark on this ambitious project, the potential for advancements in energy storage could reshape various industries and enhance technological capabilities on the battlefield.
