The following article was published by Bloomberg on March 18, 2022.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Senator Joe Manchin on Friday will jointly announce a program to develop lithium batteries in the U.S. as part of a broader strategy to help Appalachia amid a transition away from coal.
Lithium-based batteries are critical components of electric vehicles, grid storage and weapons, but the U.S. relies on international markets for the processing of most raw materials, according to the Energy Department.
As part of the initiative, Energy Department officials, representatives of the AFL-CIO and the United Mine Workers of America and executives of Sparkz Inc., a battery manufacturer that is developing a cobalt-free battery technology in Knoxville, Tenn., plan to meet on Friday at the West Virginia Regional Technology Park in South Charleston, West Virginia.