Prussian Blue Dye Batteries

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Program:
OPEN 2012
Award:
$4,599,814
Location:
Palo Alto, California
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
02/21/2013 - 03/31/2016

Technology Description:

Alveo Energy is developing a grid-scale storage battery using Prussian Blue dye as the active material within the battery. Prussian Blue is most commonly known for its application in blueprint documents, but it can also hold electric charge. Though it provides only modest energy density, Prussian Blue is so readily available and inexpensive that it could provide a cost-effective and sustainable storage solution for years to come. Alveo will repurpose this inexpensive dye for a new battery that is far cheaper and less sensitive to temperature, air, and other external factors than comparable systems. This will help to facilitate the adoption and deployment of renewable energy technology. Alveo’s Prussian Blue dye-based grid-scale storage batteries would be safe and reliable, have long operational lifetime, and be cheaper to produce than any existing battery technology.

Potential Impact:

If successful, Alveo’s grid-scale storage battery would provide inexpensive, durable, high-power energy storage to help facilitate the widespread deployment of clean, renewable energy.

Security:

A more efficient and reliable grid would be more resilient to potential disruptions.

Environment:

Electricity generation accounts for over 40% of U.S. carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Enabling large-scale contributions of wind and solar power for our electricity generation would result in a substantial decrease in CO2 emissions.

Economy:

Increases in the availability of wind and solar power would reduce fossil fuel demand, resulting in reduced fuel prices and more stable electricity rates.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Grigorii Soloveichik
Project Contact:
Dr. Colin Wessells
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
wessells1@gmail.com

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Release Date:
03/02/2012