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Stimulus Could Kickstart US Battery Industry

Posted by kdawson on from the charging-ahead dept.

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."

2 of 369 comments (clear)

  1. Re:That kind of language doesn't say much by snspdaarf · · Score: 5, Informative

    Can someone tell us what the stimulus *will* actually do?

    It *will* increase the deficit.
    Other than that, the jury is still out.

    --
    Why, without your clothes, you're naked, Miss Dudley!
  2. Re:Environmental issues by vux984 · · Score: 5, Informative

    But, would you like to pay $5 a AA battery? That's what the result would be. As much as we hate pollution and forced Chinese labor, we also hate high prices even more. Also, what would you do with Mexicans and Canadians smuggling batteries across the border. That's what will happen, like it or not.

    Exactly, I mean a factory that employs 50 people and makes millions of batteries per year would experience significant savings if they could pay Chinese wages.

    Wait a minute: Union wages x 50 employes / millions of units = very very small labor premium per unit. Turns out maybe battery manufacturing is probably dominated by the material costs, which aren't really any cheaper in China after all. All in all, it will probably add a few cents to the cost of "Made in USA" batteries.

    But I'm just /. spewing right? Anyone can pull numbers out of their ass!! If only there was some American AA battery factory out there so we could see the reality. Lucky us:

    "All Panasonic Alkaline batteries are made in the U.S.A. at our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Columbus, Georgia."

    Of course, those are "Panasonic Industrial Alkalines" those are gonna cost you a fortune:
    Panasonic Industrial AA Batteries 24/carton - $9.60
    Works out to $0.40 per battery. I think we'll cope.

    I accept your apology.

    Cites:

    Made in USA claim:
    http://www.panasonic.com/industrial/battery/oem/chem/alk/
    Panasonic Industrial AA's for sale:
    http://www.jirehsupplies.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=PI-AA