Posted on 07/08/2011 3:08:35 PM PDT by jazusamo
FLINT, Michigan — A federal bill expected to be introduced next week would create research and development grants to build advanced batteries like the one powering the Chevy Volt.
The bill would also push for domestic production of lithium for batteries, said U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., who discussed the planned legislation during a stop at a Flint business on Friday.
“We don’t want to go from foreign oil dependency to foreign lithium dependency or foreign advanced battery dependency,” Stabenow said. “This is about doing it here.”
Stabenow said she plans to introduce the Battery Innovation Act this week.
The legislation likely will cost about $2 billion, according to Stabenow’s office.
The bill would create jobs in the state and also would direct the Department of Energy to develop a competition to produce an electric battery capable of traveling 500 miles on one charge, she said.
Stabenow rolled out the legislation at one local potentially beneficiary, Rogers Foam Corporation, 501 W. Kearsley St. in Flint.
Among other products, the business creates foam components of the Chevy Volt battery.
For each battery produced at GM's Brownstown Battery Pack Assembly Plant, Rogers Foam supplies 135 pieces to act as a bumper against damage.
“(This bill) will provide a much-needed shot in the arm for Michigan’s entire auto sector and the tens of thousands of people it employs,” said Matt Rogers, the chairman of the board at Rogers Foam.
The company currently has 50 workers across two shifts working on the Volt pieces. If GM boosts Volt production, Rogers said the company plans to hire new workers and add a new shift to keep up with demand.
Stabenow’s announcement was met with skepticism by Republicans.
Jahan Wilcox, a spokesman with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said Stabenow had said the federal stimulus would create 100,000 jobs in Michigan. Since its passage two years ago, Wilcox said the state has lost 70,000 jobs.
“What is your plan to actually get it through, or is it just a public relations stunt?” Wilcox said.
Stabenow said the proposal is an essential piece of Michigan’s industrial future.
“We know that we can create thousands of jobs and a great new industry by investing and partnering with universities and businesses to create new manufacturing facilities,” Stabenow said.
Thanks. Looks like Stabenow wants to keep those gravy train tax dollars coming in to Michigan.
Good one! Thanks for starting the weekend off with a laugh.
Interesting wording, as the batteries powering the Chevrolet Volt are NOT "advanced". In fact, those batteries do not yet exist.
Now Dirty Debbie's ploy becomes more obvious. GM hasn't succeeded in accomplishing all the engineering and development that the Volt's success as a viable vehicle required. It would be more correct to say that the Volt is powered by Bravo Sierra, considering how it runs in the media.
The battery technology required for the Volt to operate as advertised is operational in prototype form now, but the size of the prototypes are similar to coin batteries found in clocks and computers. It is not known if the size can be increased to that necessary to power a Volt sized vehicle.
Debbie wants to throw taxpayer money to solve GM's problem of fibbing for effect.
Finally, the Rare Earth battle is already over, and China won, while the US anti capitalists and environazis slept. We will be asking permission from foreign nations for every efficient electric car we build.
laughingly, it might be best if we build none at all.
Another government motors welfare bill.
I had noticed that no one talks about battery disposal when we get millions (tens of millions) being thrown out annually.
Think of the ground and water pollution that will cause.
I believe you summed it up pretty well. Billions will probably be required to develop technology for practical batteries for electrics and Stabenow sees Michigan as the logical place to develop it because of the existing industry. Of course she wants to do it with taxpayer dollars because private industry is hesitant to invest that kind of money when electrics may well prove to be lemons.
Exactly, this is another Government Motors money giveaway.
More of my money down the f’n toilet!!
FUBO
Vehicle batteries today are almost never disposed of.
There’s far too much value in the metals via recycling.
Been that way for decades.
Hybrid vehicle batteries are an order of magnitude larger so it’s essentially guaranteed they will be recycled.
Doesn’t understand the technology. Check
Thinks the govt has a better investment record than industry. Check
The money probably supports some corrupt union. Check probable.
Has no understanding of what capitalism is all about. Check
Probably never had a real job. Check
Must be a liberal dim-bulb-crat. Check and double check!!
Dick Obama is saying, “Now that we’ve got the car, maybe we can find some batteries for it. And since we’re going to put all those coal power plants out of business, let’s have some more gummint money to build a whole bunch of windmills to charge em.”
NO MORE CORPORATE SUBSIDIES AND LOOPHOLES! (snicker)
LLS
How much will this cost us?
If electric cars were viable the manufacturers would not need government help YOU F#C&ING MORON!
Next she’ll want us to invest in a plant that makes unicorns powered by pixie dust.
Deja Vu all over again.
Hmmm seems like last year a battery plant for Chevy Volt was announced to open in Holland, Mi.
But of course with the Federal and State subsidies each job was going to cost a huge amount. Obama was there, maybe Debbie was asleep in 2010. As of July 2010 the jobs were supposed to be 18 months away.
http://www.hollandsentinel.com/feature/x99745911/LG-battery-plant-coming-to-Holland
Thanks...I believe this was the plant that a FReeper mentioned awhile back that a friend worked at.
The 50,000 to 200,000 units mentioned turned into 10,000 units and GM hasn’t taken that number.
LG Chem Ltd is also mentioned in the article linked in post #14.
How many Volt battery’s do you need to build for the 800 volts thet have sold so far?? Can Walmart just supply them?
Exactly. Her arguments are moronic. She directly compares an element used in technology for storing energy with an actual energy source (oil).
I'm all for more US based mining, manufacturing and advanced battery technology. How about removing REGULATIONS that prevent these industries from growing and thriving rather than dump more of our hard earned dollars down another lib do-gooder, government "investment" rat hole. Let the free market work for God's sake! They think that feeding "rich greedy industrialists" government money with one hand while holding a gun to their head with the other, deriding them all the while, will actually result in something useful.
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