What Do $2.5 Million in Batteries Look Like?

UC Riverside will dedicate Winston Chung Hall Wednesday, Nov. 9 to honor the generosity of an inventor of a new kind of battery

By Sean Nealon on November 4, 2011

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: The donation of rare earth lithium-ion batteries valued at $2.5 million. Developed by Winston Global Energy, these rare earth lithium-ion batteries will eventually power a building at UC Riverside that will be renamed for the Chinese inventor, Winston Chung. The battery-powered building will be the first of its kind in North America. Chung is also funding $600,000 in research by UC Riverside faculty.

WHEN: 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 at Winston Chung Hall, UC Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside. A ceremony later in the afternoon will mark the official unveiling of the building name in recognition of Chung’s support for research into sustainable energy.

WHO: Zhifan Zhong, president of Winston Battery Limited and vice chairman of Winston Global Energy who oversees the company’s daily operations. Earlier this year Chung donated $10 million to the University of California, Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering to fund clean energy research.

VISUALS: A new generation of electric vehicles, including a London-style taxi and a bus, powered by rare earth lithium-ion batteries, and built by Southern California-based companies, including Balqon Corporation (Harbor City), Krystal Enterprises (Brea), MVP RV Inc. (Riverside) and Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters, Inc. (Fountain Valley).

Also, see the 40-foot-long array of batteries that have been installed in a hallway and will eventually power the building.

WHY: Lithium-ion batteries are an important component of next generation energy systems. They can store solar and wind energy to power cars, homes and even industrial-sized buildings like those at UC Riverside. University research will lead to practical and renewable sources of energy, enabling the nation to wean itself off fossil fuels.

Archived under: Science/Technology, batteries, Bourns College of Engineering, gift, lithium ion batteries, press release, Winston Chung

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