The US Department of Energy has announced funding of 2.91 billion US dollars for the development of a national battery supply chain – including for electric vehicles. This makes another eMobility funding from the infrastructure bill concrete.
The funding from the bipartisan Infrastructure Act is to support production facilities for battery materials, battery cells and packs, recycling facilities as well as second-life applications for batteries, according to the Department of Energy. Two memoranda of understanding were published for this purpose. Accordingly, the funding programmes are to start in the coming months.
With the equivalent of about 2.6 billion euros, the government of US President Joe Biden wants to ensure “that the United States can produce batteries and the materials they contain to increase economic competitiveness, energy independence and national security”.
The first MOU includes support for new, retrofitted or expanded “domestic facilities for battery recycling and the production of battery materials, cell components and battery manufacturing”. The second MOU supports projects around research, development and demonstration of second-life applications for batteries. Both statements are linked below this article.
“As electric cars and trucks continue to grow in popularity within the United States and around the world, we must seize the chance to make advanced batteries — the heart of this growing industry — right here at home,” said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “With funding from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re making it possible to establish a thriving battery supply chain in the United States.”
A few days ago, the US Department of Transportation and Energy had already announced that it would provide nearly five billion US dollars over five years to build charging infrastructure.
energy.gov (announcement), energy.gov (battery production & recycling), energy.gov (Second life cases)
Keyword: US to invest almost €3 billion in battery supply chain