CalCEF and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have launched CalCharge, a consortium of the state's battery companies, academic institutions and government resources that will focus on developing energy-storage technologies for electric/hybrid vehicles and other applications.

"The next decade will be critical for this industry and this region," says Berkeley Lab Director Paul Alivisatos. "With our highly regarded battery scientists and state-of-the-art equipment at Berkeley Lab, the CalCharge consortium will be able to leverage these resources to enable the development of battery solutions for electric transportation and other clean energy applications in California."

CalCharge will be devoted to accelerating the timeline of energy-storage commercialization and market adoption through technology assistance, workforce training and market education, the groups say. Members will have access to Berkeley Lab's facilities and personnel, including testing and diagnostics equipment not available to many start-ups. The consortium will also give members access to apply for Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) and similar arrangements.