New York State of Charge: The Status of Battery Innovation, Deployment, and Circularity
Event Brief
Join The New York Climate Exchange (The Exchange) and Stony Brook University for a panel discussion featuring some of the New Yorkers who are leading the way in sustainable battery innovation and deployment. This event will explore the current state of battery deployment in NYC and ways our city can and is advancing sustainable solutions that reduce the lifecycle emissions of batteries to help NYC achieve its net-zero emissions goal.
Batteries are at the heart of the effort to electrify the economy and move away from fossil fuels. Battery demand has surged by approximately 33% annually over the past 30 years, with 2024 witnessing the most significant increase yet. Nearly 95% of this growth is driven by the rise in EV sales with global EV stock skyrocketing from 100,000 in 2013 to over 40 million in 2023. The growth in battery energy storage systems (BESS) is also impressive, with 55% year-on-year with new installations in 2024 alone contributing 45% of the current cumulative global capacity!
Cities are at the center of EV and BESS deployment. In NYC alone, cumulative registrations of EVs have increased by 58% as of 2021 compared to 2017 and BESS deployment has grown 5.8x over the last two years. Urban areas are home to the majority of EV owners, fleet operators, and charging infrastructure, making them ideal testing grounds for innovative solutions to sustainable battery deployment and circularity.
Speakers
David Hamilton, Senior Center Director for Energy Innovation (Stony Brook University's Office of Research & Innovation)
Keith Kerman, Chief Fleet Officer & Deputy Commissioner (NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services)
Alison Kling, Department Manager of E-Mobility Infrastructure Programs (Con Edison)
Adam Cohen, Co-founder & CTO (NineDot)
Jesse Weiss, Assistant Vice President for Green Economy (NYC Economic Development Corporation)
Grayson Shor, Circular Economy Fellow (The New York Climate Exchange)
Agenda (notional)
5:30pm Doors open: check-in & networking
6:00pm Opening remarks
6:10pm Panelists presentation (~5 mins each)
6:45pm Moderated Q&A
7:00pm Audience Q&A
7:15pm Final announcements/closing remarks
7:30pm Networking & refreshments
8:00pm Event concludes
========================================
What is The New York Climate Exchange (“The Exchange”)?: A new not-for-profit designed to accelerate climate solutions. Our diverse coalition of partners—committed and prepared to collectively disrupt the status quo—incorporates local and global perspectives on climate change from academia, the private sector, and community-level organizations; this multidisciplinary coalition speaks to the collaboration necessary to unlock integrated and scalable approaches to climate change. The Exchange will be headquartered at a dedicated campus on Governors Island, its spirit and influence extends beyond the Island into New York City and across the country and world. In 2025, the Exchange launched Project Closed Circuit, a program focused on making cities hubs of battery circularity.
What is Stony Brook University (SBU)? SBU is New York’s flagship and No. 1 public university, co-managing Brookhaven National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy—one of just eight universities with a role in a national lab - and in 2023, SBU was named the anchor institution for the New York Climate Exchange. Stony Brook is home to two New York State Centers of Excellence: the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC) in Energy and the Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT) in Technology. Additionally, it hosts the Center for Integrated Electric Energy Systems (CIEES), a New York State Center for Advanced Technology. SBU boasts a robust battery research program, spearheaded by the Institute of Sustainability, Environment, and Energy at AERTC and led by renowned researchers Drs. Esther Takiuchi, Amy Marschiloc, and Kenneth Takiuchi.
========================================
The views and opinions expressed by speakers during this event are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policies, positions, or perspectives of the organizers, sponsors, or affiliated organizations. The event is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Attendees are encouraged to independently evaluate the information shared and seek additional professional advice where applicable.