The Biden-Harris administration announced Friday it would award more than $3 billion in subsidies for electric vehicle (EV) battery projects as part of a broader effort to boost domestic production as China continues to dominate the market.
The grants will go to 25 different battery manufacturing projects across 14 states and are intended to boost domestic production of batteries and battery materials needed for EVs and other products that are crucial to President Joe Biden's green agenda. According to According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Biden-Harris administration is seeking to increase domestic production as the EV supply chain is heavily reliant on China, which currently accounts for two-thirds of EV battery cell production.
“From day one of their administration, President Biden and Vice President Harris have recognized that addressing climate change and rebuilding domestic manufacturing capacity are mutually reinforcing goals,” White House national climate adviser Ali Zaidi said in a statement from the Energy Department. “Nowhere is this more true than in the supply chain for our clean energy economy, whether that be electric vehicle batteries, energy storage, or a range of other applications.”
The funding is part of a larger effort by the Biden administration to transition the country to electric vehicles, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced tougher emissions standards for light-duty vehicles in March that many criticize as an eventual EV mandate.
The Biden administration has previously committed federal funding to a goal of building 500,000 EV charging stations across the U.S. by 2030, but the effort has been marred by a variety of slowdowns.
China controls most of the minerals needed to produce lithium batteries, and imposed restrictions on key resources such as graphite in October 2023. China also announced plans in August to enact export limits on antimony, a mineral essential for making certain weapons.
Former Clinton pollster says Trump must draw 'clear economic contrast' with Harris, who can get by on 'being liked'https://t.co/aikwQS9Oo2
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 20, 2024
The more than $3 billion being pumped into battery manufacturing is part of a broader “Invest in America” initiative. agendaThe Biden-Harris administration claims the plan would generate $16 billion in investment in battery recycling and manufacturing, creating 8,000 jobs in construction and more than 4,000 jobs in operations. Despite the huge subsidies the administration claimed would jumpstart the industry, manufacturing jobs have continued to decline under Biden.
“The portfolio of selected projects is projected to support more than 8,000 construction jobs and more than 4,000 operational jobs once contracts are fully completed,” the Department of Energy said. “Batteries are critical to strengthening the U.S. electric grid, powering American homes and businesses, and helping electrify the transportation sector.” (Related: New York Times columnist praises China's “green transition” but never mentions that it's driven by slave labor)
The DOE did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation's request for comment.
As an independent, nonpartisan news service, all content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation is available free of charge to any legitimate news publisher with a large readership. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and affiliation with the DCNF. If you have any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
