Cornell, partners to make upstate NY a regional engine for better batteries

With funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Cornell and a group of institutional partners have created the Upstate New York Energy Storage Engineto advance energy storage technology and boost large-capacity battery manufacturing in upstate New York - which could enable advances in electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.

As part of the engine, Cornell will coordinate a multi-institutional network of prototyping, piloting and scaling up resources for new technologies. And it will guide New York state-specific startup incubation programs and deploy startup research and business development funding.

This is one of 10 inaugural Regional Innovation Engines in the NSF Engines program, meant to spur economic growth in the technology sector beyond established coastal hotspots, and advance critical technologies and establish domestic supply chains.

The engine is led by Binghamton University and includes Cornell, Rochester Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium (NY-BEST), Launch NY and C4V. Binghamton University Professor Stanley Whittingham, who received the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for research contributing to the development of the lithium-ion battery, is chief innovation officer.

"Energy storage technologies are critical across agriculture, transportation and other areas that directly impact communities in New York and around the world," said Krystyn J. Van Vliet, Cornell's vice president for research and innovation. "Cornell has long been a leader in energy research, sustainability and tech translation. I look forward to helping build out this partnership with universities, business organizations and the many companies in this ecosystem. This engine's focus on tough tech translation allows us to share Cornell's unique strengths and research infrastructure to support this NSF engine and our collective engine goals."

Cornell will lead the engine's technology translation, one of three core functions that will support its mission. The engine's other two pillars are use-inspired research and development, with a focus on industry-informed material, process and system innovation; and workforce development, including outreach, training and upskilling programs to support job growth in the industry.

Fernando Gómez-Baquero, part of Cornell's Innovation Team and director of the Runway Startups program at Cornell Tech, will lead technology translation.

"A core philosophy of our programs is that the greatest impact comes from teaching translational mindsets and translational skills. We help to build the skills in the people who are best positioned to move these technologies forward," Gómez-Baquero said. "That's how we empower innovators to start and grow new ventures, moving discoveries out of the lab and into the market where they can benefit society."

Scores of companies have already benefited from Cornell's business incubation and mentoring, said Héctor D. Abruña, the Émile M. Chamot Professor of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences.

They include Factorial Energy, a solid-state battery developer that Abruña co-founded with Siyu Huang, M.S. '11, Ph.D. '13, MBA '14; and Alex Yu, Ph.D. '14. The company grew out of Cornell startup Lionano, a 2017 graduate of the Cornell Center for Life Science Ventures incubator program.

Factorial Energy recently entered agreements with LG Chem, along with Mercedes-Benz and other global carmakers, to further develop its flagship 100+ amp-hour (Ah) solid-state battery cells for electric vehicles.

"Cornell's expert mentorship in tech translation came at a critical time in the evolution of this enterprise and my own development as an innovator," Abruña said.

Lynden A. Archer, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering and James A. Friend Family Distinguished Professor in Engineering, said the engine will open new channels for Cornell researchers to get involved in translating advances in the laboratory to commercial practice.

"Cornell is very well positioned to be a valuable partner in the technology development side of the engine," Archer said.

The engine and complementary efforts in the region, such as the New Energy New YorkBattery Tech Hub funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, set the stage for large-scale collaboration among battery scientists, industry, entrepreneurs and business experts, said David M. Lodge, the Francis J. DiSalvo director of the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability.

"The results could be truly transformative for electric vehicles, sustainable energy and other areas where advances in energy storage have the potential to yield big benefits for the regional economy and society as a whole," Lodge said.

J. Edward Anthony is a writer for the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation.

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