This episode of the IONS podcast features host Cam Dales of Peak Energy with Dr. Venkat Srinivasan, a prominent battery scientist at Argonne National Lab. Dr. Srinivasan, an electrochemist with 30 years in the field, explains Argonne's "big science" mission to solve national problems like energy storage, also aiding industry. His industry sabbatical reinforced his dedication to fundamental scientific inquiry. 

The conversation highlights a shift in battery applications: beyond mature electric vehicles, the focus moves to grid storage (especially for AI data centers), military, and new mobility, driving a need for diverse, bespoke chemistries like sodium-ion and aqueous batteries due to supply chain concerns. They discuss AI and machine learning as "software-based power tools" for accelerating material discovery and crucial battery life prediction, enhancing "bankability". The experts concur the grid storage market is "the absolute ideal market" for innovation, presenting vast opportunities for new technologies to scale.