UCR Today: What Do $2.5 Million in Batteries Look Like?

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

A 40-foot-long array of batteries being installed in Winston Chung Hall.

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).

Electric London-style taxi powered by batteries developed by Winston Chung. The taxi will be at UC Riverside on Wednesday, Nov. 9.

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.

Media Contact

J.D. Warren
Tel: (951) 827-4756
E-mail: john.warren@ucr.edu

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

Top of Page

Experts on Demand

UC Riverside has dozens of experts in virtually every field you can imagine.

Whether it's the latest fad in Hollywood, the latest must-have gadget or the latest row in Washington, UCR has a vast pool of staff and faculty who can present a unique view right now.

These interactions can take place in person, electronically, through a campus ISDN line, or even via video through our Digital Production Studio, which can put a UCR expert on the air anywhere in the world through AT&T's regional fiber network hub.

UCR is ready to help you find the expertise you need to get the story.

Check out our Experts on Demand

Footer

The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment is now nearly 23,000 students. The campus opened a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion.

University of California, Riverside

UCR Today