BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PolyPlus Battery Company has won the prestigious Gold Edison Award in Energy and Sustainability for the company’s revolutionary Lithium-Air and Lithium-Water batteries.
CEO and cofounder of PolyPlus, Dr. Steve Visco accepted the award at the 25th annual Edison Awards Gala in New York City on April 26. “It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized for our pioneering work in lithium-air and lithium-water batteries,” said Visco.
At the heart of PolyPlus’ innovative batteries is their Protected Lithium Electrode (PLETM), the first water- and air-stable lithium electrode, invented and patented by the company. This remarkable advance has enabled the development of new classes of extremely high energy density lithium-air, lithium-water, and lithium-sulfur batteries. The PolyPlus Li-Water battery has already demonstrated greater than 1300 Wh/kg, representing the highest specific energy in the history of batteries. Also in development are rechargeable and primary Li-Air batteries, which hold promise to rival the energy density of gasoline.
“PolyPlus has developed 8 Ah [amp-hour capacity] primary lithium-air cells that deliver more than 600 Wh/kg, and is making excellent progress with its rechargeable lithium-air batteries,” Visco said.
The company has purchased a pilot production line that will be installed in Berkeley in approximately 12 months, and expects to start commercial sales in 24 months.
Being recognized with an Edison Award has become one of the highest accolades a company can receive in the name of innovation and business. “As the pace of innovation quickens and the “race to next” becomes ever more competitive, it’s increasingly important to take a moment out of our hectic lives to recognize excellence in innovation and greatness in the teams of innovators who make our future. We are honored to present PolyPlus with an Edison Award as one of the leading innovators of today and tomorrow,” says Thomas Stat, 2012 Edison Awards Steering Committee Chairman.
Edison Award nominees were judged by a panel of more than 3,000 leading business executives including past award winners, members of the Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG), academics and leaders in the fields of product development, design, engineering, science and medical. This year, in a comprehensive, peer-review process, the nominees were judged on the primary assessment themes of Concept, Value, Delivery and Impact.
About PolyPlus Battery Company
PolyPlus Battery Company is a world leader in the development of advanced lithium-air, lithium-water, and lithium-sulfur battery technologies. Founded in 1991, the company has more than 140 issued and pending patents, with a long history of successfully executed R&D programs for the U.S. DOE (ARPA-E and USABC), NIST (ATP), and U.S. DOD (DARPA and U.S. Army). The PLETM technology is the sole intellectual property of PolyPlus and is well-protected by over 30 related issued and pending patents. For more information about PolyPlus, visit www.polyplus.com.
About the Edison Awards
The Edison Awards represent the spirit of innovation personified by Thomas Edison, inspiring America’s drive to remain in the forefront of creativity and ingenuity in the global economy. Sponsors of the 2012 Edison Awards include: Nielsen, USA TODAY, Discovery Communications, SCIENCE, CSRware, applepeak and ViridiSTOR. For more information about the Edison Awards and a full list of winners, visit www.edisonawards.com.