Powering American Authority in Energy Storage
BEACONS: Igniting a New Era of Innovation and Industry in Energy Storage to Secure a Prosperous Tomorrow
Our Mission
BEACONS fast-tracks energy storage innovation to reclaim domestic authority, closing critical battery technology and manufacturing excellence gaps. Its IP-secure prototyping facilities deliver trusted results, helping companies scale faster, build resilient supply chains, and bolster national security.
Based at The University of Texas at Dallas, BEACONS works with U.S. companies to drive transformative energy storage solutions essential to defense, industry growth, and economic stability from mining to cells to systems.
Funded by the Department of Defense’s Office of Industrial Base Policy and its Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) office, BEACONS plays a key role in the Pathfinder program, accelerating the adoption of new technologies, onshore manufacturing capabilities, and workforce readiness to strengthen America’s energy leadership.
Onshore Manufacturing
Support for scaling from prototypes to full manufacturing excellence.
Focus: Ensuring US-based production and supply security
Secure Prototyping
IP-Secure facilities for lithium-ion, sodium-ion, and next-gen chemistries.
Focus: Trusted rapid results
Protecting Supply Chains
Critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel.
Focus: Supply chain transparency
Dual Use Applications
Consumer products, grid storage, defense technologies.
Focus: Enabling innovation bridge to reach the market faster
Preparing Our Domestic Workforce
Training programs for workforce readiness and manufacturing excellence.
Focus: Preparing America’s future Energy storage workforce
Our Partners
BEACONS Latest News
Stay updated with the latest stories, announcements, and insights from BEACONS.
Challenges and Advances in Tooling and Equipment for Battery Manufacturing Workshop held at UT Dallas on April 16, 2024
The University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) and the US Battery Machine Builders, in collaboration with LEAP Manufacturing, hosted a groundbreaking workshop focused on the challenges and advances in tooling and equipment for battery manufacturing. Read more here.
Charged Up for Battery Research
As electric vehicles and renewable energy sources including solar and wind are scaling production, researchers across the globe are racing to develop a critical system component — grid‐scale battery storage. Faculty from the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and...
Department of Defense to invest $30 million in battery tech research at UTD
The Department of Defense will invest $30 million over three years at the University of Texas at Dallas to create new battery technologies and worker training programs, the Pentagon announced Monday. As part of its investment, UTD will construct an energy...