Year End 2009

As the year comes to a close, it is worth reflecting on the tremendous work accomplished during 2009 to establish NY-BEST.  We look forward to 2010 when these efforts will come to fruition with the first annual meeting of the newly incorporated New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium and the successes that lie ahead for NY-BEST, its members, and the industry in New York State.  Thank you for all your support and input during the past year. 

Warmest regards for the New Year!

Jan 2009

• Governor Paterson announces NY-BEST initiative in State of the State Address

Feb 2009

• Draft Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) Plan to fund NY-BEST developed
• Planning begins for NY-BEST Stakeholder Workshop in April: stakeholders, companies, and researchers identified; agenda developed; facilitator hired

Mar 2009

• Public comments received on draft CAIR Plan

Apr 2009

• NY-BEST Stakeholder workshop held with 129 attendees
• CAIR Plan approved by NYSERDA Board
• Inventory of energy storage expertise at New York’s universities and labs developed and issued

May 2009

• $250,000 in matching funds offered to NY-BEST collaborators successful under ARPA-E solicitation
• Three NY-BEST Working Groups representing 25 different organizations established: (1) Governance, (2) Testing, and (3) Market-Driven Research
• Anne Savage engaged for facilitation and web site development

June 2009

• Full-day meetings of each working group held to identify short and long-term priorities and review organizational models
• Research topic concept papers requested; 67 received in July

July to Sep 2009

• Proposed operational structure for NY-BEST developed based on best practices presented by Governance Working Group
• Testing needs and capabilities survey issued; New York Academy of Sciences engaged to analyze results and conduct interviews of NY-BEST collaborators needs and capabilities

Oct 2009

• NY-BEST Research Solicitation issued based on input from concept papers; 36 proposals received Dec 17 seeking almost $22 million in NYSERDA funding

Nov 2009

• NYSERDA announced it will serve as interim testing facilitator to help NY-BEST members find required capabilities for research, prototyping, testing, and validation
• NY-BEST logo developed and adopted by working group
• www.ny-best.org website launched

Dec 2009

• NY-BEST Bylaws finalized with guidance from Governance Working Group
• Up to $500,000 in matching funds offered to NY-BEST members successful under ARPA-E solicitation
• NY-BEST begins accepting organizing members;
• Board of Director nominations begin
• Email news updates with funding opportunities, NY-BEST news, and industry highlights begin distribution every 1-2 weeks
• Request issued for student MBA and technical teams to assist Research Working Group with developing competitive market analyses in “medium/heavy-duty transportation” and “grid connected energy storage”
• Filing Certificate of Incorporation to formally establish NY-BEST

Jan 2010

• Release testing capabilities database for NY-BEST members’ use
• Issue New York Academy of Sciences final report on testing capabilities and needs

Feb / Mar 2010

• Hold first annual membership meeting to adopt bylaws, elect board of directors, review progress and discuss priorities
• Review Market-Driven Research Solicitation submissions
• Determine parameters for soliciting independent NY-BEST management to augment NYSERDA staff as the consortium becomes self-sufficient over the next 3 to 5 years