Battery-Makers Continue Jostling For Stimulus Funds
From the moment it was announced the U.S. government would be handing out roughly $2 billion in stimulus funds to go toward the research and development of advanced battery systems, companies across the country began lining-up and putting together proposals in hopes of becoming recipients of the stimulus money. The latest to throw their hat in the ring for the grant money is California-based lithium-ion battery maker Quallion, who aside from developing and manufacturing a next generation battery believes they can also go a long way in stimulating a Califonia economy that currently finds itself on life support.
According to Earth News, Quallion is requesting $220 million to build a plant that will produce 20,000 batteries a year by 2012. The Department of Energy has a total of $1.5 billion of the $2 billion to portion out for such manufacturing plants (the other $500 million will go toward other aspects of manufacturing). The plant, if built, would bring 400 construction jobs and an eventual 2,350 green jobs, the company said. Only seven or eight companies are expected to receive grants and the competition for the funds is highly competitive. To date there are 120 contenders or so vying for the federal stimulus money.
“It’s a juggling act,” said Bob Kanode, CEO of Valence Technology Inc. “The government wants to put people to work, and they want to put money behind fresh ideas. If Quallion can do both, they have a chance.”
Quallion joins A123 Systems, Johnson Controls Inc., General Electric, General Motors and of course many others as applicants for the stimulus money. The Department of Energy is expected to announce the winners as soon as the end of July.
Category: Battery News
