DOE pushing for US participation in battery manufacturing


The DOE announced policies on Tuesday looking to grab market share in the manufacturing of key components of lithium-ion batteries for EVs and energy storage. Currently, China, Japan and South Korea dominate, and the hope is that federal support will help the US regain traction and secure raw material supplies for batteries. The policies include $200 million in the DOE budget next year in battery tech R&D and expanded guidelines for the $17 billion in lending authority under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program. The DOE is also asking Congress to pass legislation to align with Biden’s infrastructure plan to help bolster battery manufacturing.