June 22, 2010

NYSERDA Reports on Growth of NY Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium^TM During First Year; Membership Grows Past 50

ALBANY, NY  — The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority today released the initial year progress report for the New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology ConsortiumTM (NY-BEST) showing robust growth in the field, interest in collaborative market-driven research, and cooperation among members to benefit the technology and state economic leadership in the growing field of energy storage. NYSERDA launched the NY-BEST consortium in February with members as diverse in size as GE, GM, and other larger companies to colleges, universities, labs and start-up companies. As it begins its second year, the consortium is comprised of 54 active members and is about to seek an executive director to coordinate efforts.

Francis J. Murray, Jr. NYSERDA president and CEO noted the growth: “NYSERDA's role is to launch this consortium of diverse technology and manufacturing interests, and to build a mutually beneficial hub of communications among the members. Fostering collegial partnerships is a major role at NYSERDA and our networking opportunities bring new progress among consortium members. We anticipate development and growth of high-tech solutions and industry in the state as a result of these seed efforts.”

The consortium is taking advantage of insights gained through a series of surveys conducted to determine the depth and breadth of energy storage research and manufacturing already present in the Empire State. Those findings indicated global leadership in medium and heavy-duty transportation battery storage and grid storage, large manufacturing capabilities, as well as leading edge research in other storage technologies that are advancing rapidly. Both of these electric developments rely on storage to modulate and balance the contributions of intermittent resources to the electric grid.
On the transportation front, large batteries are already playing a leading role in railroad and personal transportation. It is anticipated that these individual storage points, such as autos, may be able to contribute back to the grid when needed, much as the way individual computers, linked together, form the internet.

NYSERDA has already awarded $15.3 million in research and development projects ranging from new generation railroad locomotive batteries with GE down to studies on nano-technologies — circuits smaller than the human hair — hat can store and dispense energy in electronic component circuitry. Much of the research is being conducted in colleges and universities, both public and private, across the state in partnership with industry. In addition to developing solutions to our energy storage challenges, these projectstrain graduate students who, in turn, are better positioned to find employment in the energy storage industry here in New York. The nineteen R&D projects will help to support 136 engineers, researchers and other positions over the next one to four years and train 17 graduate and undergraduate students.

Funding for the NY-BEST program is derived from the federal Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) program that controls nitrogen oxide emissions. These regulations establish cap and trade programs designed to mitigate interstate transport of ozone and fine particulate pollution (smog). Ten percent of the NOx emission allowances allocated to New York under these regulations were directed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technology Account, under which NYSERDA is designated as the administrator. In total, $24.4 million was raised to seed NY-BEST and the battery and energy storage industry. In addition to research and development, these funds will support core operations of the consortium and procure or subsidize testing and characterization capabilities identified by the industry. Membership list and a link to the full report are here: NYSERDA Publications and Technical Reports

Contact:

Jeffrey Gordon, NYSERDA
518-862-1090 ext. 3544
jrg@nyserda.ny.gov