The US Department of Energy has issued two notices of intent to offer funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to boost production of the advanced batteries that are critical to quickly growing clean energy industries of the future
Biden administration announces $2.91bn funding boost for battery manufacturing and recycling. (Credit: Zach Rudisin/Wikipedia.org)
The US government has announced a funding of $2.91bn in projects that will strengthen domestic battery manufacturing and recycling to support the rising demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage.
In this regard, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has issued two notices of intent to offer funding to ramp up production of the advanced batteries that are crucial to quickly growing clean energy industries of the future.
According to the department, the funding will be available for battery materials refining and production facilities, battery cell and pack manufacturing plants, and recycling facilities.
The funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is anticipated to be made available in the coming months to make sure that the US can produce batteries and the materials that are used in them. This will help boost economic competitiveness, energy independence, as well as national security, said the DOE.
Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, close to $7bn has been allocated to bolster the US battery supply chain. This includes the production and recycling of critical minerals without the involvement of new extraction or mining and procuring materials for domestic manufacturing.
US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said: “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.
“With funding from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re making it possible to establish a thriving battery supply chain in the United States.”
The first notice of intent will enable the DOE to help in setting up new, retrofitted, and expanded domestic facilities for recycling of batteries and the production of battery materials, cell components, and manufacturing of batteries.
Under the second notice of intent, the government’s funding will support research and development, demonstrating second-life applications for batteries that were previously used in EVs, as well as new processes for recycling, reclaiming, and adding materials again into the battery supply chain.
In May 2021, US President Joe Biden said that his administration is pushing for a $174bn EV plan. At that time, the President called for grants from the government to help finance new battery production plants in the US.