The Energy Department is making a push to strengthen the U.S. battery supply chain, announcing up to $3.5 billion for companies that produce batteries and the critical minerals that go into them.
Some officials, industry experts and others concerned about climate change uneasy supply of battery materials will not keep pace with demand.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law assigned $6 billion in total funding for battery material processing and manufacturing.
An initial round went to 15 projects including companies that mine critical minerals like graphite and nickel, used in lithium batteries.
Tom Moerenhout, a professor at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, said it will be a big challenge to ramp up the global supply of critical minerals for the projected battery demand in 2030.
Persons:
Harris, Jodie Lutkenhaus, “ I’m, ”, ” Lutkenhaus, Matthew McDowell, Tom Moerenhout, “, Moerenhout
Organizations:
Energy Department, DOE, Biden, Texas, M University, Infrastructure Law, Georgia Institute of Technology, Columbia University's Center, Global Energy, Companies, ____, AP
Locations:
Asia, Albemarle, Kings Mountain , North Carolina, U.S