Batteries are more vital to daily life than ever, but where and how they’re currently made pose major risks for the US. 

Beyond powering our phones and laptops, batteries keep hospitals running, military equipment operational and electric transit systems moving. China, however, is the dominant producer of this energy-storage tech, meaning that if global relations deteriorate, so does US access, according to Meera Sampath, an electrical engineering expert at Binghamton University. 

“We’ll know we’re successful when everybody in the region knows somebody working in the [energy storage] industry.”

Upstate new york NSF engine COO Heidi Grenek

A large portion of batteries, including those used for US defense, comes from China, according to Sampath.  “When we have a dependence on an unstable foreign supply chain, that’s a big issue from a national security and economic security perspective,” she told Technical.ly. 

In response, a federally funded project led by Sampath at Binghamton University aims to tip the global battery market in the US’s favor by making upstate New York “America’s Battery Capital.”

Early last year, the National Science Foundation awarded Binghamton University $15 million to launch an Energy Storage Innovation Engine in upstate New York — that means new research hubs, startup support and workforce training all aimed at making the region a national leader in battery tech.

Just 15 months into the project, which could receive more than $160 million over the next decade, the initiative has already scored big. 

Close-up view of a control panel with multiple numbered sockets, green terminal blocks, wiring and LED indicator lights.
Battery material testing at the Rochester Institute of Technology (Courtesy)

The engine’s work has attracted additional investment from the state, with New York providing matching funds of $16 million over the next decade. Plus, its coalition of partners has grown to over 50 academic institutions, local startups, venture capital firms and industry associations, among others. 

“We have the credibility, we have the people, we have the support within both the state and at the federal level,” engine COO Heidi Grenek said, “so I think, from that standpoint, we have a very good claim to becoming the battery tech capital for the US.”

A modern approach

Since the engine is meant to be industry-driven, success means new technologies hitting the market, Sampath said. 

That can be difficult, though, because energy storage is a capital-intensive industry, requiring startups to source rare materials and thoroughly test their ideas before they can ever consider attracting customers. With funding from the engine, however, local startups are cutting down on upfront costs and attracting customers sooner, according to Sampath. 

A stainless steel laboratory fume hood stands next to industrial processing equipment with pipes, valves, and cables in a clean, well-lit lab setting.
Battery Safety and Testing Room from Rochester Institute of Technology’s Battery Development Center (Courtesy)

For example, after receiving an engine “SuperBoost” grant of less than $1 million, local startup Ateios Systems landed a $3.6 million contract for its high-energy, environmentally friendly battery components.

Necessary battery testing can also be dangerous, because faulty or unstable cells can overheat, catch fire or even explode if not handled correctly. That’s why the engine is working to establish a state-of-the-art battery safety testing center in Rochester by 2026. 

“A very big problem for battery startups today is not having strong infrastructure to go all the way from early materials characterization and prototyping to being able to pilot manufacture at scale, and then to be able to do the safety testing and validation,” Sampath said. 

While upstate New York can offer that infrastructure to local companies, there are still gaps in its ecosystem, especially in manufacturing capabilities and workforce development. 

Three adults stand indoors smiling and conversing while holding brochures; one man wears a suit, another is in a cap, and a woman wears a green shirt. Banners are visible in the background.
Meera Sampath, CEO of the Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York and Chancellor John B. King Jr. of State University of New York, meet at the New York State Fair (Courtesy Binghamton University)

“We are pushing ourselves to be the place where there [are] big companies, small companies, talent, investors, anybody who wants to solve the toughest problems in energy storage, will find that New York is the premier destination,” Sampath said. 

Impacting every part of the ecosystem

What Upstate New York is lacking is the large, established manufacturing facilities found in other states like Texas or Michigan, Sampath said. 

The engine has been able to attract some relevant investment so far. Late last year, Toyota subsidiary Raymond Corporation announced the opening of its battery manufacturing facility in Kirkwood. Other battery manufacturers, like Electrovaya and BAE Systems, have pledged to expand operations in the state, adding more than 100 new jobs for the industry. 

Success is still contingent on broad community support, according to Sampath. 

This can be an uphill battle when most people don’t know why batteries are important. To combat this, the engine recently spoke with thousands of people at the New York State Fair, Sampath said, and a recently launched workforce development network plans to introduce hundreds of locals to the industry in the next few months. 

“We’ll know we’re successful when everybody in the region knows somebody working in the [energy storage] industry,” Grenek said. “That is the aim of the regional engagement strategy, as well as the workforce development strategy and attracting all of these companies.”

This story was reported with support from The Builder Platform, which helps connect and support the NSF Engines initiative nationwide. To explore resources, connections and updates from across the NSF Engines, visit The Builder Platform.