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Senators urge Biden administration to invest in energy storage technologies

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is urging the Biden administration to follow the guidelines in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to invest in a broad variety of energy storage technologies.

In a letter to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, the senators outlined their support for the use of IIJA funding to support lithium-ion battery technologies, which are the most prevalent type of energy storage. They urged the administration to use future funding for lithium and non-lithium battery chemistries to reduce America’s reliance on foreign supply chains and strengthen energy security.

“In order to ensure continued U.S. leadership in battery technologies, we implore you to ensure that the Department’s implementation of funds authorized in Section 40207 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) advances a diverse portfolio of market-ready technologies that includes both lithium and non-lithium alternative battery chemistries,” the senators wrote to Granholm.

The letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Angus King (I-ME), Jim Risch (R-ID), Shelley Capito (R-WV), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

“To date, all programmatic funding awards for IIJA Section 40207(b) were for projects related to the lithium-ion battery supply chain. We are pleased to see this funding awarded and recognize the importance of domestic lithium-ion batteries, especially in the transportation sector. However, going forward, the Department should also seek to accelerate the deployment of domestic alternative battery manufacturing for grid-scale battery energy storage, in addition to lithium-ion technologies, in line with Congressional intent,” they added.

They concluded by saying battery energy storage will play a crucial role in the clean energy future.

Dave Kovaleski

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