Stimulus Could Kickstart US Battery Industry

Al sends along a Technology Review piece that begins "Provisions in the Congressional stimulus bill could help jump-start a new, multibillion-dollar industry in the US for manufacturing advanced batteries for hybrids and electric vehicles and for storing energy from the electrical grid to enable the widespread use of renewable energy. The nearly $790 billion economic stimulus legislation contains tens of billions of dollars in loans, grants, and tax incentives for advanced battery research and manufacturing, as well as incentives for plug-in hybrids and improvements to the electrical grid, which could help create a market for these batteries. Significant advances in battery materials, including the development of new lithium-ion batteries, have been made in the US in the past few years; but advanced battery manufacturing is almost entirely overseas, particularly in Asia."

Comments

Re:Environmental issues

[h4rr4r]

No, they are the only ones that do all types and sizes. Try reading.

Also as a later poster noted most lithium chemistry batteries are not recycled today as the lithium cost is so low. Perhaps if it ever raises that will happen.

Re:You can't have it. Too bad it took

[davidsyes]

a shitty economy to get the US-origin auto mfr's to get "charged up" over the battery issue. And, well-educated and wiser people tell us "an ounce of prevention is worth (more than) a pound of cure" and being penny-wise can make us pound foolish.

Now (according to news i heard this am), one of the big 3 US-origin automakers is so deep in trouble that the management offers to let the unions manage employee benefits is pointless because there isn't enough money for either of them to properly manage things now.

But, to me, it seems these auto companies (most if not all of them globally) operated as if the economy would chugg along without a hitch. At least Toyota smartly gambled and seems to have fared well on the plunge into battery technology despite the naysayers. I suspect Ford got in to avoid being too much of a Johnny-come-lately, and probably wisely realized Toyota HAD to have some insight most US-origin auto makers reluctantly/grudgingly accepted.

And, it seems once again, ecological/environmentally-minded (despite the issues surrounding battery disposal, energy conversion value, etc.) Californians seem to have led the way toward the perceived or real value of using/buying hybrids. Hell, i dare say that if the US-origin and US-based automakers find a way to cut the amount of gas needed without getting greedy and jacking up the cost of car acquisition for consumers, they would AT LEAST not have to shut down so many plants. Hybridize the cars, make the batteries replaceable, and don't obsolete the cars for the sake of forcing new sales.

Re:Check one for science

[darkmeridian]

The economy looks great! All it needs is time to figure itself out and we'll be back on the path to prosperity! No, really. What are you smoking? I want some.

It's sad that you are falling for an agenda and don't even know it. The Republicans are sabotaging the bailout. They want Obama to fail (per Newt Gingrich) so they can regain some seats in November 2010.