Commercial Fusion Research Company Spins Out Power Innovations for e-Mobility, Storage
TAE Power Solutions will spin out from TAE Technologies to apply fusion research-derived power management solutions to the broader markets of energy storage and e-mobility.
TAE Technologies, a leading company focused on developing commercial fusion power, has announced that it will form a new subsidiary, TAE Power Solutions, to commercialize the proprietary battery and power management technologies derived to support its fusion research.
The new subsidiary will apply fusion-derived power management innovations to emerging e-mobility and energy storage platforms to reduce charge times, extend ranges, and improve battery life and performance.
With better reliability, efficiency, longevity, and affordability, the company believes its battery solutions can accelerate EV onboarding and the adoption of intermittent renewable energy systems for on-demand, dispatchable power.
Residential energy storage solution. Image used courtesy of TAE Power Solutions
Fusion Research Leads to Power Delivery and Storage Innovations
The origin of TAE Power Solutions was the need for the parent company, TAE Technologies, to develop power solutions capable of supporting its fusion research.
The company’s fifth-generation research reactor, Norman, requires up to 750 MW of power for operation, but the local grid near TAE’s facility in Southern California was only capable of delivering about 2 MW.
To meet its requirements, TAE needed to develop its own highly scalable energy storage and power delivery systems with the capacity to support the power demands of its fusion research.
The solution was an internally developed, modular power delivery platform based on battery management technologies that are highly scalable, efficient, and capable of extremely fast (sub-millisecond time scale) power delivery and storage.
Leveraging these new capabilities, TAE Power Solutions has developed intelligent AC power (ACi) and Converter Battery Module (CBM) solutions to apply these power delivery and storage innovations to commercial markets beyond fusion.
Technology born of fusion. Image used courtesy of TAE Power Solutions
Intelligent Monitoring Improves Battery Performance
Most battery systems for EVs, or storage, are composed of individual cells that are joined together to form modules. These modules are then combined in series or parallel to form battery packs.
Battery systems are typically managed at the pack level, which results in sub-optimal performance since the performance of the entire battery pack is limited by the most marginal cell or module.
The TAE solution addresses this issue by moving battery management down a level from the pack to the module. In the ACi system, monitoring and control electronics are integrated into the battery module to form what is referred to as a Converter Battery Module (CBM).
ACi packs are formed from multiple CBMs, and each CBM is intelligently monitored and balanced for temperature, State of Charge (SOC), and State of Health (SOH) in real-time.
More precise control of the battery system results in improved battery performance, operating life, and efficiency.
CBMs are combined to form the ACi battery pack. Image used courtesy of TAE Power Solutions
Ultrafast Pulse Charging
According to TAE Power, the advanced monitoring electronics within its BCMs allow for the pulse charging of batteries at rates that are up to four times faster than existing solutions. The company believes its technology has the potential to transform the EV charging experience, surpassing the capabilities of even the most advanced fast charging platforms currently available.
Ultrafast pulse charging is four times faster. Image used courtesy of TAE Power Solutions
Positioning TAE Power Solutions for Success
To manage the new company and its potentially disruptive battery technology, TAE Power Solutions has appointed renewable industry veteran Kedar Munipella as CEO.
Munipella comes to TAE Power Solutions from Applied Materials, where he was VP and GM of an energy and environmental solutions business unit.
Also, as part of its formation, the subsidiary has acquired two UK companies (Sprint Power and Eltrium) with strategic capabilities complimentary to the company’s new technologies for application in e-mobility and energy storage markets.
Sprint Power is a European leader in high-voltage electric powertrain and systems integration for transportation electrification, while Eltrium has expertise in the design and manufacturing of energy storage systems, power distribution, and electronic assemblies.
The company has also announced its partnership with Marelli, a Tier 1 automotive component supplier whose inputs will be crucial to TAE Power’s efforts in the EV and mobility markets.
