Electricity-storage effort gets funds
Mar 13 - The Buffalo News
By David Robinson, The Buffalo News, N.Y.
A partnership between the University at Buffalo and two other entities
to develop high-capacity batteries for storing electricity has won more
than $550,000 in funding from the New York State Research and
Development Authority.
The partnership with Binghamton University and the Brookhaven National
Laboratory is working on three projects to develop improved batteries
that can be used in stationary, power grid-scale energy storage
applications. The researchers are working on lithium-air, lithium- ion
and lithium-titanate batteries.
One issue with renewable energy projects, such as wind farms, is that
the windy conditions that are conducive to generating electricity don't
always coincide with when the demand for power is at its peak, and there
is no way to store that much electricity until it's needed later.
"This project will allow the group to focus toward grid storage
-- higher use of renewables on to the grid," said Colleen Ryan, an
authority spokeswoman. "The end goal of this project is to potentially
come up with better stationary storage technologies. The technologies
they are working on will help make it more cost effective."
The grant is part of $8 million in funding that the authority awarded
Thursday to 19 energy storage projects that involve transportation,
utility Smart Grid applications, renewable energy technology and other
industries.
drobinson@buffnews.com
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