The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced more than $3 billion in grants for 25 projects aimed at enhancing domestic battery production and reducing reliance on imports.
The funding, which will be distributed across 14 states, is part of a broader initiative to strengthen the nation’s battery manufacturing base and support the transition to clean energy.
John Podesta, Senior Advisor to President Biden for International Climate Policy, emphasized the significance of the initiative, stating it would “boost America’s manufacturing base, create good-paying union jobs all over the country, and help tackle the climate crisis.” The grants are administered by the DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC), which assesses market needs based on technical and economic analyses.
Among the companies benefiting from the current round of funding are Ascend Elements, Group14 Technologies, and Sila Nanotechnologies. This latest investment follows a prior round in which the DOE allocated $1.82 billion to 14 projects.
The program, titled ‘Battery Materials Processing and Battery Manufacturing and Recycling Program,’ has a total budget of $16 billion, with additional funding rounds planned in the near future.
“We’re in the midst of a manufacturing revival in the United States as the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda continues to breathe new life into communities and local economies across the country,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “By positioning the U.S. at the forefront of advanced battery manufacturing, we are creating high-paying jobs and strengthening our global economic leadership and domestic energy security, all while supporting the clean energy transition.”
