Binghamton University officially reveals 'Battery NY' R&D center

Binghamton University has launched its National Science Foundation (NSF) named as "Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine", together with its partners New Energy New York (NENY) and other coalition partners, in New York state in the United States. 

The NSF located at the Johnson City building located on Gannett Drive will house the 'Battery NY' initiative, a research and development center that the university and its partners are establishing for innovating battery technology and manufacturing ecosystem in the Upstate New York.

A first-of-its-kind R&D center to support the battery industry, Battery NY was announced when the University won the federal Economic Development Administration's Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) program and was originally planned for a different site. 

However, the Johnson City building has been considered for its central location, closer to the University, with more room to build and also the potential for expansion in the future, according to the Binghamton University. 

"This is an exciting step in our vision for creating a full-scale, lab-to-market battery economy right here in upstate New York," said Harvey Stenger, President of Binghamton University. 

"Through NENY and its partnerships with federal agencies, other colleges and universities, and industry-leading companies and startups, we're striving to be global innovators in batteries and energy storage", he added. 

NENY builds on the research of Professor M. Stanley Whittingham, who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2019 for his work in the development of lithium-ion batteries, a key component of renewable energy storage as the world weans itself from fossil fuels. 

"This funding will let us come up with new inventions, which we intend to test out and build up to a commercial stage in this facility," commented Prof. Whittingham. Founded two years ago, NENY has attracted academic and corporate partners that have developed a host of programs to support the growth of the battery and energy storage manufacturing industry.

The National Science Foundation designation joins the $63.7 million awarded through the BBBRC in September 2022 and the designation as a federal Battery Tech Hub in October 2023. 

Binghamton is the only U.S. university to receive all three designations. New York's Empire State Development is also supporting all of the NENY initiatives with more than $60 million in state investments, according to the university's press statement.