The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is investing up to $20 million in 2012 -- $120 million over five years -- into launching an "energy innovation hub" focused on advanced batteries and energy storage, and accelerating the research and development efforts surrounding these technologies. The research into electrochemical energy storage for transportation and the electric grid will help advance cutting-edge energy storage and battery technologies that can be used to improve the reliability and the efficiency of the electrical grid, better integrate renewable energy technologies, as well as...