DOE to allocated $275M to strengthen clean energy supply chain

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will grant $275 million for seven projects, many in former coal communities, to strengthen supply chains and accelerate domestic clean energy manufacturing.

The announcement came at the inaugural meeting of the White House Council on Supply Chain Resilience.

The portfolio of projects will address clean energy supply chain vulnerabilities by supporting key materials and components for energy storage for grid and transportation uses, wind energy, and energy efficient solutions for buildings.

“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is driving the manufacturing boom while preserving the communities and workforce that have powered our nation for generations,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “With these historic investments, DOE will bring new economic opportunities and ensure these communities continue their key role in strengthening America’s national and energy security.”

The selected projects with small and medium-sized manufactures will build up the production of technologies, such as insulated windows essential in large building retrofits, wind turbines, materials for grid components and critical battery materials, to reduce the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels, strengthen national defense and energy independence, and mitigate the climate crisis. They are mostly located in former coal or disadvantaged communities.

The awards went to the following firms:

• Alpen High-Performance Products, which will retrofit existing facilities in Louisville, Colorado, and Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, for production of ultra-thin, triple and quad-pane insulated glass units (IGUS) for windows. These retrofitted facilities will the first of their kind in the United States.

• Boston Metal, which will build a new facility in Weirton, West Virginia, to manufacture ultrapure chromium metal and high temperature alloys that are critical materials needed for clean power, fuel cells and green steel supply chains.

• Carter Wind Turbines, which will build a new facility in Vernon, Texas, to scale production of mid-sized turbines and improve wind energy access for remote, rural locations, and rugged terrains.

• CorePower Magnetics, which will retrofit an existing facility in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for melting and casting of advanced magnetic amorphous alloys for grid components.

• FastCAP Systems d/b/a Nanoramic Laboratories, which will build a new facility in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to manufacture lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery electrodes for grid storage.

• LuxWall, which will build a new facility in Detroit, Michigan, to manufacture vacuum insulated glass (VIG) window units, one of the highest energy efficient return-on-investment (ROI) options used to retrofit buildings.

• MP Assets Corp., which will build a project in Virginia, to manufacture lithium-ion battery separators important for electric vehicle supply chains.

Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicants will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time. DOE anticipates moving quickly on another investment round in the U.S. advanced energy manufacturing sector.