ETA 2021 Strategic Plan - Flipbook - Page 92
Energy Storage & Distributed
Resources Division
The Energy Storage and Distributed Resources
(ESDR) Division conducts research in the
areas of energy conversion, storage, and
distribution. ESDR works closely with academic,
government, and industry partners to enable
and accelerate the development and adoption
of new advanced technologies for sustainable
transportation, renewable, and resilient grid
infrastructure, energy-efficient manufacturing,
and next-generation water–energy technology
performance. It leads the efforts on water
desalination in Berkeley Lab’s Water–Energy
Nexus Initiative, which aims to explore solutions
that help build water and energy resilience
for a stable and secure future. In support of a
global transition to a clean energy economy,
ESDR researchers bring deep expertise in
basic electrochemistry, materials science,
characterization and theory, machine learning,
and high-performance computing. ESDR is
organized into six research groups that address:
energy storage, energy conversion, laser
technologies, thermal energy, grid integration,
and applied energy materials.
Research Objectives
• Develop electrochemical, chemical, and
thermal energy storage and conversion
technologies, from materials synthesis to
advanced characterization to testing and
failure analysis.
• Develop carbon-free hydrogen production,
storage, and use for multiple applications
such as transportation, industrial heating,
and grid-level energy storage.
• Discover novel breakthrough desalination/
separation concepts based on recent
advances in nanotechnology, metal
coordination chemistry, photonics and
thermionics that can lead to future
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sustainable desalination techniques and
enable frugal use of huge reserves of
nontraditional waters.
• Develop energy storage expertise,
capabilities, and facilities to support the
development of innovative energy storage
solutions.
• Develop tools for grid integration and cyberphysical security of distributed resources.
• Participate in cross-sector and
multidisciplinary collaboration — both inhouse and externally with other national
labs, universities, and industry — through
workshops and meetings that promote
education and networking opportunities,
as well as events showcasing Berkeley Lab
capabilities and expertise.
• Engage in public-private partnerships, such
as CalCharge, where a consortium of energy
storage companies can enjoy a streamlined
contractual arrangement that enables
industry to engage with Lab expertise.
Energy Storage Group
The Energy Storage Group has an extensive
history of addressing applied problems from a
fundamental perspective. Currently, the group
is aggressively pursuing a new class of cathode
materials of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries to
resolve material cost and supply issues that are
threatening their viability. Researchers in the
group are also exploring the limitations of fast
charging and low-temperature performance and
development of silicon (Si) as an active anode
material to replace graphite or the use of lithium
metal. Other efforts include novel techniques
to investigate at the nanoscale the chemical
and morphological properties of the protective
film on Si and the advancement and fabrication
