The US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Texas at Dallas have signed a memorandum of understanding to advance battery science, strengthen critical materials supply chains, and expand workforce development in the energy storage sector.
The collaboration between the Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) will connect researchers from Argonne’s Advanced Energy Technologies (AET) directorate and UT Dallas’s Batteries and Energy to Advance Commercialization and National Security (BEACONS) Center. “Together, Argonne and UT Dallas will work toward an abundant supply of domestic critical materials, which will be important to strengthen the future of battery manufacturing and energy security in the US,” the press release states. Established in 2023 with a $30 million award from the US Department of Defense, BEACONS focuses on energy storage solutions for both academic research and industry applications.
The partnership will address technology gaps in energy storage, promote domestic sourcing of critical materials, and strengthen the battery manufacturing ecosystem in the US. The agreement also includes initiatives to engage UT Dallas students in professional development, aiming to build a skilled workforce to meet the growing needs of the battery and critical materials sectors.
“By working together, we can collaborate on multiple areas like creating and upscaling the development of critical materials and optimising battery systems,” explained Jianlin Li, Director of Energy Storage and Conversion at Argonne. “All of this will contribute to establish a more stable and competitive energy storage supply chain within the US.”
“This partnership will further enhance the strong connection between our two institutions and allow our people to work together with the common goal of furthering scientific breakthroughs in areas critical to U.S. competitiveness and national security,” said Claus Daniel, Associate Laboratory Director for Argonne’s AET directorate.
Paul Kearns, Director of Argonne National Laboratory, added: “We have been working with UT Dallas on meaningful research for many years, and today’s MOU is the next step in expanding this collaboration. With our complementary strengths in science and engineering, we have the great potential to make an even greater impact on US prosperity and security driven by pivotal discoveries and transformative innovations.”
anl.gov
