SUNY Oneonta to help develop fire-safe battery technology

ALBANY, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday, July 24 that a local college will be helping develop new innovations in battery technology.

SUNY Oneonta will be one of two places in New York State to receive funding from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) for a long-duration energy storage project using fire-safe battery technology. According to the governor’s office, the technology will be able to be used in urban and rural places and demonstrate a stable energy supply during periods of high demand and extreme weather conditions.

The project is a collaboration between the New York Power Authority, Urban Electric Power and the Electric Power Research Institute.

“Energy storage that ensures a safe and reliable power supply is critical to New York’s clean energy future,” Governor Hochul said in a statement. “By supporting leading-edge projects—such as these installations that provide extended storage duration—we will validate new technologies and illustrate how grid storage can be safely and effectively integrated into communities throughout the state.”

SUNY Oneonta and the Grasslands Reservation in Westchester County were the two places chosen to house the installations. The sites were selected to demonstrate the viability of the technology in various geographical settings. $6.5 million in DOE funding was made possible through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and will cover half of the project cost, estimated to be at $13.1 million

“SUNY Oneonta is committed to partnering with environmental visionaries in New York state and beyond,” SUNY Oneonta President Alberto Cardelle said in a statement. “Using our campus to host and study this new clean energy technology is a valuable opportunity to build scalable solutions to our regional energy needs, provide educational programming for our students and community, and spur new economic development efforts within the Mohawk Valley. As co-chair of SUNY’s Sustainability Advisory Council, I look forward to working with our partners across SUNY on opportunities to leverage and build upon this leading-edge initiative.”

Both systems will produce 300 kilowatts with 12 or more hours of operation surpassing typical lithium-ion . According to the governor’s office, the batteries will potentially help to reduce electricity bills in the area.

At SUNY Oneonta, their part of the project will also support a future solar project. Both projects are expected to achieve the college’s clean energy plans.

“Securing this grant from the US Department of Energy is a significant milestone. We applaud the collaboration between the New York Power Authority (NYPA), Urban Electric Power (UEP), and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), which will not only showcase the cutting-edge long duration battery storage technology, but also reinforce New York’s commitment to innovative energy solutions. With one of the installations located at SUNY Oneonta, we are set to lead by example, demonstrating the critical role long-duration energy storage can play in enhancing grid resilience.”

According to the Governor’s office, a successful demonstration at the Grasslands Reservation and SUNY Oneonta would prove the decreased technology risk and reducing demand on the electricity grid. The batteries have been demonstrated successfully on smaller scales at other energy storage installations.

The New York State Power Authority will support the projects with energy education outreach programs in both areas. They will also be helping prepare people to take on jobs to maintain those sites, as well as sites across the state.

The governor’s office says that this battery could allow clean energy to be available when it is needed. It would also help the Department of Energy achieve their goal of reducing storage costs by 90 percent within the decade.

“Securing this grant from the US Department of Energy is a significant milestone,” New York State Assemblymember Brian Miller said in a statement. “We applaud the collaboration between the New York Power Authority (NYPA), Urban Electric Power (UEP), and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), which will not only showcase the cutting-edge long duration battery storage technology, but also reinforce New York’s commitment to innovative energy solutions. With one of the installations located at SUNY Oneonta, we are set to lead by example, demonstrating the critical role long-duration energy storage can play in enhancing grid resilience.”

Construction will begin on the SUNY Oneonta site in 2026. The facilities are scheduled to be fully operational by 2028. The governor’s office has said that it aims to deploy 6,000 megawatts of storage by 2030.

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