§ 16315. Electricity Storage Research Initiative(a) Initiative(1) In generalThe Secretary shall carry out a research initiative, to be known as the “Electricity Storage Research Initiative” (referred to in this section as the “Initiative”)—(A) to expand theoretical and fundamental knowledge to control, store, and convert—(i) electrical energy to chemical energy; and (ii) chemical energy to electrical energy; and (B) to support scientific inquiry into the practical understanding of chemical and physical processes that occur within systems involving crystalline and amorphous solids, polymers, and organic and aqueous liquids. (2) LeveragingIn carrying out programs and activities under the Initiative, the Secretary shall leverage expertise and resources from—(A) the Basic Energy Sciences Program, the Advanced Scientific Computing Research Program, and the Biological and Environmental Research Program of the Office of Science; and (B) the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. (3) Teams(A) In general

In carrying out the Initiative, the Secretary shall organize activities among multidisciplinary teams to leverage, to the maximum extent practicable, expertise from the National Laboratories, institutions of higher education, and the private sector.

(B) Goals

The multidisciplinary teams described in subparagraph (A) shall pursue aggressive, milestone-driven, basic research goals.

The Secretary shall provide sufficient resources to the multidisciplinary teams described in subparagraph (A) to achieve the goals described in subparagraph (B) over a period of time to be determined by the Secretary.

(4) Additional activities

The Secretary may organize additional activities under this subsection through Energy Frontier Research Centers, Energy Innovation Hubs, or other organizational structures.

(b) Multivalent systems(1) In general

The Secretary shall carry out under the Initiative a program to support research needed to bridge scientific barriers to, and discover knowledge relevant to, multivalent ion materials in electric energy storage systems.

(2) ActivitiesAs part of the program described in paragraph (1)—(A) the Director of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences shall investigate electrochemical properties and the dynamics of materials, including charge transfer phenomena and mass transport in materials; and (B) the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy shall support translational research, development, and validation of physical concepts developed under the program. (3) Standard of review

The Secretary shall review activities carried out under the program described in paragraph (1) to determine the achievement of technical milestones.

(4) Prohibition

No funds allocated to the program described in paragraph (1) may be obligated or expended for commercial application of energy technology.

The Secretary shall carry out under the Initiative a program to support research to model and simulate organic electrolytes, including the static and dynamic electrochemical behavior and phenomena of organic electrolytes at the molecular and atomic level in monovalent and multivalent systems.

(2) ActivitiesAs part of the program described in paragraph (1)—(A) the Director of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences, in coordination with the Associate Director of Advanced Scientific Computing Research, shall support the development of high performance computational tools through a joint development process to maximize the effectiveness of current and projected high performance computing systems; and (B) the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy shall support translational research, development, and validation of physical concepts developed under the program. (3) Standard of review

The Secretary shall review activities carried out under the program described in paragraph (1) to determine the achievement of technical milestones.

(4) Prohibition

No funds allocated to the program described in paragraph (1) may be obligated or expended for commercial application of energy technology.

(d) Mesoscale electrochemistry(1) In generalThe Secretary shall carry out under the Initiative a program to support research needed to reveal electrochemistry in confined mesoscale spaces, including scientific discoveries relevant to—(A) bio-electrochemistry and electrochemical energy conversion and storage in confined spaces; and (B) the dynamics of the phenomena described in subparagraph (A). (2) ActivitiesAs part of the program described in paragraph (1)—(A) the Director of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences and the Associate Director of Biological and Environmental Research shall investigate phenomena of mesoscale electrochemical confinement for the purpose of replicating and controlling new electrochemical behavior; and (B) the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy shall support translational research, development, and validation of physical concepts developed under the program. (3) Standard of review

The Secretary shall review activities carried out under the program described in paragraph (1) to determine the achievement of technical milestones.

(4) Prohibition

No funds allocated to the program described in paragraph (1) may be obligated or expended for commercial application of energy technology.

(Pub. L. 109–58, title IX, § 975, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 903; Pub. L. 115–246, title III, § 303(e)(1), Sept. 28, 2018, 132 Stat. 3143.) Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–246 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Secretary shall conduct a program of fundamental research on solid state lighting in support of the Next Generation Lighting Initiative carried out under section 16192 of this title.”