Advanced Energy Perspectives

An historic investment of $7.5 billion in federal funds for EV charging is on its way, headed for the states. This federal funding, from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed by Congress and signed into law in November, will make it easier for state and local policymakers across America to accelerate the electric transportation transition and meet emissions reductions goals they have set for themselves. It will also pave the way for further growth of the more than 15,000 EV-related businesses in the U.S., with tens of thousands of Americans relying on the electric transportation industry for their livelihood. The time is now for states to set themselves up to make the most of this opportunity.

What electric school buses do for air quality is well known. Swapping diesel buses for electric buses eliminates these vehicles as sources of local air pollution, which affects the schoolchildren who ride them every day as well as the communities they travel through. But investing in electric school buses also contributes to the economy. With the funding for school bus electrification provided in the recently passed infrastructure bill, that economic boost is on the way. 

The U.S. House of Representatives has spent the last three weeks marking up a series of legislative proposals that form the basis of the Build Back Better Act, the budget reconciliation bill put forward by the Democrats. Taken together, these proposals put into legislative text the elements of President Biden’s American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan that were not included in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed earlier this year. While, as in all legislation, there are elements that disappoint, AEE is impressed by the overall scope and scale of investments in advanced energy proposed. If enacted, the Build Back Better Act would put the U.S. on course to leading the world in advanced energy manufacturing, transportation electrification, and carbon emissions reductions, all while creating millions of jobs and investing in economic opportunity for American workers and families.

As the United States transitions toward advanced energy and transportation, the nation (and indeed the world) will witness exponential growth in demand for energy storage. Lithium-ion batteries are key to this development, accounting for more than 99% of electric vehicle (EV) batteries and 90% of utility-scale storage in 2021. China currently dominates nearly every aspect of the lithium-ion supply chain, enjoying the ensuing economic and strategic advantages that come with it. For the U.S. to upend this dynamic and build a domestic storage industry, the first step is understanding the battery supply chain and identifying opportunities for disruption, from responsible sourcing and recycling of materials to support for domestic manufacturing. There is no time to lose.