Senator to DOE: Approve $120M Funding for SBU-BNL Partnership

in partnership with Brookhaven National Lab could become the site of a research center for the development of high-tech batteries if the U.S. Department of Energy approves a $120 million funding package for such a project.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer on Monday called on the DOE to approve that package, which he said would ramp up the market for electric vehicles in America by expanding the power and efficiency of their batteries.

"Long Island has the expertise, research facilities, and the tools to revolutionize the electric vehicle and commercial battery market, and now we need to provide the resources to turn this expertise into a reality,” Schumer said in a statement. “The funding package we are working on securing will not only create hundreds of high-paying jobs on Long Island, but it could also create new manufacturing jobs in upstate New York if we make a major breakthrough.”

Schumer also said the project would immediately generate 100 high-paying jobs on Long Island, with the potential to add more, as well as create jobs via a manufacturing plant in upstate New York. The regional economy would benefit with more than $220 million in related contributions, according to the proposal. It could also generate or attract businesses in the field of storage technology.

Additionally, the hub is expected to generate commercialization opportunities by attracting businesses on the leading edge of storage technology both inside and outside the region, stimulating the creation of new companies that will capitalize on whole new manufacturing opportunities and services related to storage.

Stony Brook’s Advanced Energy Technology Center would be the home for the new center, while BNL's facilities would be the source of the materials sciences resources.