Home: Renewable Energy News: Friday 07 August, 2009

Renewable Energy News

FRIDAY 07 AUGUST, 2009 |

Obama's $1.5 Billion Battery Boost

Obama announces grants for battery industry

To accelerate the deployment of electric vehicles, batteries and components in the USA, while creating tens of thousands of new jobs in the process, President Obama yesterday announced 48 new advanced battery and electric drive projects that will receive USD $2.4 billion in funding.

Of the $2.4 billion, $1.5 billion in grants will go to USA based manufacturers to produce batteries, components and to expand battery recycling capacity.

Two companies, A123 and Johnson Controls, will receive a total of approximately $550 million to establish a manufacturing base in the state for advanced batteries.

Among the other grant recipients:

KD ABG MI, LLC (Dow Kokam): Production of manganese oxide cathode / graphite lithium-ion batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles.

EnerDel, Inc.: Production of lithium-ion cells and packs for hybrid and electric vehicles

Exide Technologies with Axion Power International: Production of advanced lead-acid batteries, using lead-carbon electrodes for micro and mild hybrid applications.

East Penn Manufacturing Co. : Production of the UltraBattery (lead-acid battery with a carbon supercapacitor combination) for micro and mild hybrid applications. The battery system was originally developed by CSIRO in Australia. Tests show the UltraBattery has quadruple the life-cycle and produces 50 percent more power than conventional battery systems. It’s also about 70 percent cheaper than the batteries currently used in HEVs.

According to the White House, the initiative is the single largest investment in advanced battery technology for hybrid and electric-drive vehicles ever made.

While the focus of the grants is solely on batteries for electric vehicles, there will be positive spin-offs for renewable energy storage applications, as some of the technologies developed will filter down to deep cycle battery applications for the off grid solar market in the years ahead.