March 05, 2010

NYSERDA Welcomes Experts to Discuss Issues Facing Energy Storage Industry for NY Battery and Energy Storage Technology (NY–BEST) Consortium in Troy

Panels of Manufacturers, Academics, and Entrepreneurs Convene March 10, Hilton Garden Inn, Troy.

Albany, Mar 5 — Panel discussions featuring some of the leading experts in the energy storage industry will discuss market opportunities, electric transportation applications, smart grid integration and other issues at a meeting March 10 of the New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium (NY–BEST™), an industry–focused coalition working to further the development and manufacture of advanced battery and energy storage technologies in New York State.

The panel discussions, featuring prominent manufacturers, university researchers and entrepreneurs, will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 235 Hoosick Street, Troy. Registration for the program begins Tuesday afternoon, and the cost is $50 to cover meal costs.
Online registration and information is: NY Best Online Registration

NY–BEST, an initiative of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), was established in May 2009 by Gov. David A. Paterson to position New York as a global leader in energy storage technology, including batteries, super–capacitors and other emerging technologies for transportation, grid applications and energy efficiency.

Francis J. Murray, Jr. NYSERDA President and CEO said: “NY–BEST capitalizes on the State’s unmatched technical and industrial expertise and brings together engineers, entrepreneurs, and scientists to advance New York’s clean energy and storage technology industries. NY–BEST will play an important role in helping New York build a clean energy economy that will create jobs and help build a healthier environment in the future.”

One of the goals of the NY–BEST Consortium is to develop and manufacture the batteries, components, and energy storage systems that will be used in medium and heavy–duty transportation applications and plug–in hybrid electric cars. The battery R&D will also include systems that can be used to smooth gaps in the intermittent power generation output of wind and solar installations

Program highlights include:

• 8 am. Welcoming Addresses by Francis J. Murray, President & CEO, NYSERDA and Thomas Congdon, Deputy Secretary for Energy, Office of Governor Paterson
• 9:00–12:00pm: Panel Discussion on Market Opportunities, including opportunities for energy storage in electric vehicle applications and grid storage.

• Moderator: Matt Fronk, Director of the Center for Sustainable Mobility, RIT
• Glen Merfeld, General Electric
• Andy Naukam, Ultralife Corporation
• Bob Hess, BAE Systems
• Mark Mathias, General Motors
• Jim Misewich, Brookhaven National Lab/NYS Smart Grid Consortium
• Hank McGlynn, AEYCH, Inc.
• 1:00–2:30 pm: Panel Discussion on testing and characterization capabilities, access and usage policies and fees, and best practices to leverage existing facilities

• Moderator: Karin Ezbiansky–Pavese, Ph.D., Vice President of Innovation and Sustainability, New York Academy of Sciences
• Chi–Chang Kao, Brookhaven National Lab
• Keith Cummings, Dayton T. Brown
• Paul Mutolo, Cornell University
• M. Stanley Whittingham, Binghamton University
• Alain Diebold, University at Albany CNSE

Membership in the consortium to date includes more than 40 corporations, universities, engineering firms, equipment manufacturers and related interests.

The entire list is available online at: Entire List NY Best.org

New York State is providing more than $25 million in seed funding to the Consortium, derived from New York’s participation in the federal Clean Air Interstate Rule. In addition to establishing the working consortium, this seed money will fund market–driven research and enhancement of battery–testing capabilities in New York State.

Contact:

Colleen Ryan, NYSERDA
518–862–1090 ext.3359
cqr@nyserda.ny.gov