The U.S. Department of Energy has partnered with the Department of Labor and the AFL-CIO to launch an initiative to support domestic lithium battery supply chains.
According to a March 18 news release, the DOE will invest $5 million to support up to five training pilot programs in energy and automotive communities.
“American leadership in the global battery supply chain will be based not only on our innovative edge, but also on our skilled workforce of engineers, designers, scientists and production workers,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said. “President Biden has a vision for achieving net zero emissions while creating millions of good paying, union jobs — and DOE’s battery partnerships with labor and industry are key to making that vision a reality.”
This program seeks to create jobs, boost the economy and improve clean energy supply chains while increasing the nation's competitiveness within the global battery manufacturing industry, according to the news release.
“I am glad to see the Department of Energy collaborating with our industry partners to invest in the next generation of our clean energy workforce,” U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee said. “While I remain concerned about our dependence on China and other foreign countries for key parts of the lithium-ion battery supply chain, engaging our strong and capable workforce to manufacture batteries domestically is a critical step toward reducing our reliance on other countries and ensuring we are able to maintain our energy security. I look forward to seeing this initiative grow, and we will continue to work closely together to ensure we can onshore the rest of the battery supply chain.”
Lithium batteries power everything from electric vehicles to consumer electronics and are reportedly a critical component of President Joe Biden’s decarbonization strategy.
