The US Department of Energy says it will award $350 million to up to 11 long-duration energy storage demonstration projects, Kallanish reports.

DOE will fund up to 50% of selected projects that are expected to use a wide array of technologies. Letters of intent are due by 15 December and full applications are due by 3 March. DOE says additional funding opportunities may follow to validate and accelerate commercialisation of battery storage technologies.

The projects must be capable of delivering electricity for 10-24 hours or longer to support a low-cost, reliable, carbon-free electric grid, and that will boost renewable energy production including wind and solar and increase electric grid reliability, DOE says.

“Advancing energy storage technologies is key to making energy generated from clean, renewable resources like wind and solar available for 24/7 use and is critical to achieving a decarbonised power grid and reaching President [Joe] Biden’s ambitious climate goals,” says Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

The programme will be managed by DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations. The projects are expected to contribute to DOE’s goal of reducing the cost of grid-scale energy storage by 90% within 10 years. The programme will be funded in part by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.