WASHINGTON — The Vitality Division on Wednesday awarded almost $74 million from the bipartisan infrastructure regulation for 10 initiatives to advance recycling and reuse of batteries for electrical autos and different functions.
The funding will go to tutorial and business candidates in seven states, together with 4 in California. Different grant winners are in Nevada, Michigan, New Jersey, Tennessee, Indiana and Alabama.
The College of California-San Diego will obtain $10 million to develop and scale-up know-how to recycle lithium-ion batteries, whereas Aspect Vitality in Menlo Park, Calif., will obtain $7.9 million for a wind-energy challenge in west Texas. The corporate is working with Subsequent Period Vitality Assets to pursue commercial-scale know-how to spice up the second-life battery marketplace for vitality storage.
Gross sales of electrical autos have skyrocketed previously two years and are anticipated to proceed rising underneath the $1 trillion infrastructure regulation signed final yr and the climate-and-health regulation adopted in August.
“With demand for essential battery minerals, resembling lithium and graphite, projected to extend by as a lot as 4,000% within the coming many years, this newest spherical of funding helps the recycling and reuse section of the home battery provide chain,” the Vitality Division mentioned. The initiatives ought to assist speed up battery manufacturing in America, mitigate battery provide chain disruptions and create good-paying jobs, officers mentioned.
The announcement follows $2.8 billion in grants awarded final month to spice up home manufacturing of EV batteries in 12 states. A complete of 20 corporations will obtain grants for initiatives to extract and course of lithium, graphite and different battery supplies, manufacture elements and strengthen U.S. provide of essential minerals.
The bulletins assist President Joe Biden’s purpose for electrical autos to make up half of all new car gross sales by 2030.
