America's national laboratories are leading a consortium to move advanced battery storage technologies from the lab into domestic manufacturing. Dubbed the Battery Manufacturing Accelerator, or BattMan (no, really), the initiative aims to bring together a bunch of national laboratories, universities, and companies to overcome barriers in scaling up new battery technologies. Novel battery storage solutions are needed for applications in the electric grid, datacenters, and electric vehicles, as electrification gradually extends across industry. Batteries have a far lower energy density than fuels such as petroleum, so the hunt for better materials never stops. Researchers also want to improve on the safety of flammable lithium-ion cells, cut production costs, speed up charging, and reduce reliance on scarce raw materials. "The advances we make today in battery manufacturing technology will determine America's energy security and economic competitiveness for decades to come,” said Audrey Robertson, assistant secretary of Energy at the Department of Energy (DoE), which is overseeing the program. Researchers continue to develop new battery materials and chemistries, yet many promising technologies face obstacles on the way from the laboratory to commercial production. According to the DoE, BattMan will tackle that problem by combining super intelligence - known outside of the Trump administration as AI - with advanced manufacturing into a coordinated, data-driven innovation ecosystem. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory leads the consortium, along with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory and National Laboratory of the Rockies. Academic partners include the University of Washington, Binghamton University, University of Alabama, Arizona State University, and University of Michigan-Dearborn. The accelerator is also building ties with battery and materials manufacturers, and hopes to sidestep critical minerals supply problems by finding battery materials among more abundant, domestically sourced elements. ORNL is contributing its Battery Manufacturing Facility (BMF) R&D center and plans a smart test bed with advanced sensing, real-time monitoring, and data analysis to trial both wet and dry electrode manufacturing. BattMan will also introduce autonomous pilot lines that combine sensing, process monitoring and intelligent control systems to improve product quality and reduce variability in the manufacturing process. The goal is an AI-based manufacturing platform that spots production irregularities as they occur and adjusts parameters on its own to prevent defects. “The BattMan Accelerator is exactly the kind of coordinated national effort that turns scientific breakthroughs into economic and energy security advantages,” claimed distinguished R&D staff member Chins Chinnasamy, the consortium lead for ORNL. Organizations interested in becoming part of BattMan can visit the program website to learn more. ®
