Building upon 80 years as a top electrochemistry university, Case Western Reserve University and its faculty are applying their expertise to chemical energy storage and the development of new and better batteries. The Journal of the Electrochemical Society identified Case Western Reserve as one of its top organizations, with several faculty ranking among its most cited experts. In 2016, Ohio’s Federal Research Network (OFRN) awarded CWRU $1.65 million to lead research in energy storage for defense and aerospace technological needs, establishing the university as a campus-based Center of Excellence. Today, 15 faculty members spanning 5 departments, including six Electrochemical Society fellows, are researching batteries, capacitors, electrochemical devices, electrodeposition, fuel cells, materials, and sensors—all in pursuit of cost-efficient, high-capacity, geographically independent solutions to energy storage
Why Storage
Wind and solar energy can’t be produced on demand. Storage helps balance intermittent energy generation.
- The US Energy Information Administration predicts a 50% rise in global energy consumption, which will exacerbate the existing stress on the current grid. Storage provides a buffer to help stabilize the grid while efforts to modernize it continue.
- Microgrids are being developed to support growing demand for electricity. Storage will make microgrids more robust and cost effective.
- Battery storage capacity is expected to grow 2500 MW by 2023 in the US alone. By the same year, the cost of battery storage is expected to drop by $200/kWh, a 50% decrease from 2016. The market potential is large and growing exponentially.
Strengths in Storage
We effectively combine fundamental electrochemical engineering expertise with advanced materials research in an environment that includes the world-renowned Yeager Center for Electrochemical Sciences.
- Fundamental research on lithium electrolytes and lithium deposition processes related to safety
- Innovative research on all iron and non-aqueous flow battery concepts
- New approaches to advanced capacitors
- Fundamental research on non-precious metal electrocatalysts for fuel cells
- State-of-the-art test beds and fabrication facilities for capacitors and batteries
- Next-generation reliability applied to storage through lifetime and degradation science
- Microgrid with fully owned distribution system, wind turbines, solar farms and upcoming integration of storage devices and fuel cells
Breakthrough Electrolytes for Energy Storage (BEES)
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded Case Western Reserve University $10.75 million over four years to establish a research center to explore Breakthrough Electrolytes for Energy Storage (BEES), with the intent of identifying new battery chemistries with the potential to provide large, long-lasting energy storage solutions for buildings or the power grid.
Learn more about the BEES research center
Energy Storage Research is being led by:
Batteries and Capacitors
Bob Savinell
George S. Dively Professor in Engineering
Distinguished University Professor
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops high-performance electrochemical energy conversion and storage technologies through fundamental and applied studies of interfacial and transport processes; Development of benign, abundant electrolyte for flow batteries
Jesse Wainright
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops novel electrochemical systems for grid-level energy conversion and storage; Development of benign, abundant electrolyte for flow batteries
Daniel Scherson
Frank Hovorka Professor of Chemistry
Director of the Ernest B. Yeager Center for Electrochemical Sciences
Focus on Analytical Chemistry, Materials, Physical Chemistry, Electrochemistry, Photochemistry
Lei Zhu
Professor, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Develops high-energy and high-performance polymers based on close relationships among structure, property and processing
Eric Baer
Distinguished University Professor
Herbert Henry Dow Professor of Science and Engineering
Director, NSF Center for Layered Polymeric Systems (CLiPS)
Develops processing-structure-property relationships in polymeric systems; creates micro- and nano-layered films; and produces biomimetic hierarchical structures of soft materials
Kenneth Loparo
Arthur L. Parker Professor, Department of Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering
Co-Director, Internet of Things Collaborative (IOTC)
Develop real-time data analytics and control algorithms for industrial, energy and physiological systems
Rohan Akolkar
Milton and Tamar Maltz Professorship in Energy Innovation at the Great Lakes Institute for Energy Innovation
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Director, Electrochemical Materials Fabrication (EMF) Laboratory
Develops new electrochemical processes for applications including nano-material fabrication, energy storage, electrometallurgy and sensors
Gerhard Welsch
Professor, Materials Science & Engineering
Develops new processing methods and designs for energy storage and optimized materials
Storage Materials and Fundamentals
Rohan Akolkar
Milton and Tamar Maltz Professorship in Energy Innovation at the Great Lakes Institute for Energy Innovation
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Director, Electrochemical Materials Fabrication (EMF) Laboratory
Develops new electrochemical processes for applications including nano-material fabrication, energy storage, electrometallurgy and sensors
Uzi Landau
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Designs advanced electrochemical systems and processes
Burcu Gurkan
Nord Distinguished Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering
Designs, develops and investigates ionic liquid based electrochemical systems for energy, separations, environmental sciences and sensors; Fuel Cell Conversion
Jesse Wainright
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops novel electrochemical systems for grid-level energy conversion and storage
Mark De Guire
Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Analyzes performance of ceramics in energy applications, including fuel cells and oxygen transport membranes
Bob Savinell
George S. Dively Professor in Engineering
Distinguished University Professor
Professor, Chemical Engineering
Develops high-performance electrochemical energy conversion and storage technologies through fundamental and applied studies of interfacial and transport processes
Daniel Scherson
Frank Hovorka Professor of Chemistry
Director of the Ernest B. Yeager Center for Electrochemical Sciences
Analytical Chemistry, Materials, Physical Chemistry, Electrochemistry, Photochemistry
Ya-Ting Liao
George B. Mayer Assistant Professor in Urban and Environmental Studies
Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Researches the thermal management and fire safety of Li-ion batteries
Chris Yuan
Leonard Case Jr. Professor of Engineering
Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Researches the design, manufacturing and sustainability science of lithium-ion batteries, solar cells and nanotechnologies
Julie Renner
Climo Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering
Researches protein scaffolds to improve electrode performance
Chris Wirth
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Focused on colloids that are anisotropic, away from equilibrium, or in crowded environments, all of which are relevant to coatings, the production of multiphase materials, and the understanding of synthetic and biological active colloids; flow batteries