EaglePicher Technologies Continues Development of Sodium-Beta Battery with ARPA-E for Grid-Scale Energy Storage Applications

CLEVELAND, April 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- EaglePicher Technologies, LLC, (EPT), an OM Group, Inc. (NYSE: OMG) company, and a leading supplier of specialty batteries and energy storage solutions for the defense, aerospace, medical, commercial and grid energy storage markets, announced today that it will receive a $3 million award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy to further develop their catalytic energy storage technology. Under their continued work with ARPA-E, EaglePicher will focus its research on improving scalability for their Sodium-Beta (Na-Beta) battery by developing an inexpensive stacked design to improve integration in renewable and grid storage applications.

The original ARPA-E effort, "Planar Na-Beta Batteries for Renewable Integration and Grid Applications," successfully demonstrated the concept of using thin BASE (Beta-Al₂O₃ Solid State Electrolyte) for reduced cell impedance and increased discharge rates while operating at reduced temperatures.  Battery models and market studies conducted for the project have shown that the new concept should meet multiple needs of the grid storage market. This follow-on project leverages EaglePicher's original research with new technology being developed by another ARPA-E awardee, Material Systems and Research Inc. (MSRI).  The advanced design will demonstrate the new modular, scalable concept at the end of the eighteen-month project in 450 Watt-hour cells.  The continued work by EaglePicher Technologies, LLC further advances innovations in renewable energy storage.

"We are very pleased to be part of the ARPA-E initiative," said Dave Lucero, EPT's Director of Alternative/Grid Energy Storage. "The development of this technology will no doubt result in a more cost-effective and reliable approach to grid scale energy storage."

EaglePicher Technologies, LLC has a rich history of manufacturing state-of-the art batteries and systems for the defense and aerospace industries, with work in recent years to expand its expertise into other critical applications such as energy storage solutions.

About EaglePicher Technologies, LLC 
EaglePicher Technologies, LLC, an OM Group company, is a leading producer of batteries and energetic devices for the defense, aerospace, medical, commercial, grid energy storage, and oil and gas industries. The company provides the most experience and broadest capability in battery electrochemistry of any battery supplier in the United States. Battery technologies include lithium ion, thermal, silver zinc, nickel hydrogen, lithium carbon monofluoride, lithium thionyl chloride, lithium manganese dioxide, lithium sulfur dioxide, and reserve lithium oxyhalide. EaglePicher also provides custom battery assemblies, battery management systems, pyrotechnic devices, and other power solutions. EaglePicher Technologies is headquartered in Joplin, Mo., and is ISO9001:2008 and AS9100C certified. For more information, visit www.eaglepicher.com

About OM Group, Inc. 
OM Group is a technology-driven diversified industrial company serving attractive global markets, including automotive systems, electronic devices, aerospace, industrial and renewable energy. Its business platforms use innovation and technology to address customers' complex applications and demanding requirements. For more information, visit the Company's website at www.omgi.com

About ARPA-E  
The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) advances high-potential, high-impact energy technologies that are too early for private-sector investment. ARPA-E awardees are tasked to develop transformational technologies for the generation, storage, and use of energy. 

SOURCE OM Group, Inc.