Sprocket Power has been awarded more than $1 million by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority through its competitive Power Generation and Storage Innovation program.
We’re one of 15 companies selected in this round, which awards nearly $13 million to advance long-duration and next-generation energy storage in New York. Our project will demonstrate DC fast-charging stations powered by an underground vanadium redox flow battery.
The award recognizes a problem we see at nearly every site planning high-power charging. A few fast chargers running at once can set a new peak, drive up demand charges, and trigger a costly utility upgrade before the first vehicle plugs in. In dense locations, there’s often no room for a conventional battery to absorb those peaks.
With this funding, we’ll show that storage placed below ground can carry that load. The battery charges when grid power is cheaper, then supplies the chargers when demand spikes. We’ll actively manage the system against charging demand, utility rates, and grid conditions, and we’ll measure the results.
What the award supports:
- A real-world demonstration. We’ll prove out fast charging powered by long-duration storage in daily operation, not just on paper.
- Storage where space is tight. The battery sits underground, off the lot, using a non-flammable liquid electrolyte.
- A path for fleets and dealerships. The results will shape how we design high-power charging sites that don’t have to wait on grid upgrades.
“We’re grateful to NYSERDA for this award. Fast charging shouldn’t force a business into a utility upgrade or a spike on its bill, and this project lets us prove that the right storage, managed the right way, can carry that load right where it occurs.” — Dennis Quinn, President, Sprocket Power
Read the full announcement on NYSERDA →
Planning to add DC fast charging?
Get in touch, and we’ll model how charging and storage can fit your site before you commit to a utility upgrade.
