Electrochemical energy constitutes only a small portion of America’s energy portfolio but is well poised to make a big impact in the nation’s energy independence and sustainability in the 21st century. Electrochemical power sources such as photovoltaic cells, batteries, super-capacitors, fuel cells and biological fuel cells have made visible impact in the field, and yet face tremendous technical and economical challenges to overcome before they can achieve commercial success. The seminar will focus on some of the key technical challenges in lithium ion batteries, fuel cells, hydrogen generation and biological fuel cells and discuss approaches to address these challenges.