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DOE Battery Workforce Strategy advances lithium battery manufacturing with DOE, DOL, and AFL-CIO partnerships, pilot training programs, EV supply chain skills, and industry-labor credentials to strengthen clean energy jobs and domestic competitiveness.

Key Points

An initiative to fund pilot training and labor-industry partnerships to scale domestic lithium battery manufacturing.

✅ $5M for up to five pilot training programs.

✅ Builds industry-labor credentials across the battery supply chain.

✅ Targets EV manufacturing, recycling, and materials refining.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in coordination with the U.S. Department of Labor and the AFL-CIO, today announced the launch of a national workforce development strategy for lithium-battery manufacturing. As part of a $5 million investment, DOE will support up to five pilot training programs in energy and automotive communities and advance workforce partnerships between industry and labor for the domestic lithium battery supply chain. Lithium batteries power everything from electric vehicles, where U.S. automakers' battery strategies are rapidly evolving, to consumer electronics and are a critical component of President Biden’s whole-of-government decarbonization strategy. This workforce initiative will support the nation’s global competitiveness within battery manufacturing while strengthening the domestic economy and clean energy supply chains. 

“American leadership in the global battery supply chain, as the U.S. works with allies on EV metals to strengthen access, will be based not only on our innovative edge, but also on our skilled workforce of engineers, designers, scientists, and production workers,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm, “President Biden has a vision for achieving net zero emissions while creating millions of good paying, union jobs — and DOE’s battery partnerships with labor and industry are key to making that vision a reality.” 

“President Biden has made the creation of good union jobs a cornerstone of his climate strategy,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “We applaud DOE for being proactive in pulling labor and management together as the domestic battery industry is being established, and as Canada accelerates EV assembly nearby, we look forward to working with DOE and DOL to develop high-road training standards for the entire battery supply chain.” 

“I am glad to see the Department of Energy collaborating with our industry partners to invest in the next generation of our clean energy workforce,” said U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “While I remain concerned about our dependence on China and other foreign countries for key parts of the lithium-ion battery supply chain, and recent lithium supply risks highlight the urgency, engaging our strong and capable workforce to manufacture batteries domestically is a critical step toward reducing our reliance on other countries and ensuring we are able to maintain our energy security. I look forward to seeing this initiative grow, and we will continue to work closely together to ensure we can onshore the rest of the battery supply chain.” 

The pilot training programs will bring together manufacturing companies, organized labor, and training providers to lay the foundation for the development of a broad national workforce strategy. The pilots will support industry-labor cooperation, as major North American projects like the B.C. battery plant advance, and will provide sites for job task analyses and documenting worker competencies. Insights gained will support the development of national industry-recognized credentials and inform the development of broader training programs to support the overall battery supply chain. 

This initiative comes as part of suite of announcements from President Biden’s Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization—a partnership among the White House and nearly a dozen federal agencies committed to pursuing near- and long-term actions to support coal, oil and gas, and power plant communities as the nation transitions to a clean energy economy. 

This announcement follows DOE’s recent release of two Notices of Intent authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to provide $3 billion to support projects that bolster domestic battery manufacturing and battery recycling for a circular economy efforts nationwide. The funding, which will be made available in the coming months, will support battery-materials refining, which will bolster domestic refining capacity of minerals such as lithium, as well as production plants, battery cell and pack manufacturing facilities, and recycling facilities. 

It also builds on progress the Biden-Harris Administration and DOE have driven to secure a sustainable, reliable domestic supply of critical minerals and materials necessary for clean energy supply chains, including lithium, with emerging sources like Alberta's lithium-rich oil fields underscoring regional potential. This includes $44 million in funding through the DOE Mining Innovations for Negative Emissions Resource Recovery (MINER) program to fund the technology research that increases the mineral yield while decreasing the required energy, and subsequent emissions, to mine and extract critical minerals such as lithium, copper, nickel, and cobalt. 

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Germany Hydrogen Fuel Cell Market gains momentum as policy, mobility, and R&D align; National Hydrogen Strategy, regulatory frameworks, and cost-of-ownership advances boost heavy transport, while Europe races Asia amid battery-electric competition and infrastructure scale-up.

Key Points

It is Germany and Europe's hydrogen fuel cell ecosystem across policy, costs, R&D, and mobility and freight deployments.

✅ Policy support via National Hydrogen Strategy and tax incentives

✅ TCO parity improves for heavy transport vs other low-emission tech

✅ R&D targets higher temps, compactness for road, rail, sea, air

In a new report examining the status of the German and European hydrogen fuel cell markets, the German government-backed National Platform Future of Mobility (NPM) says there is “a good chance that fuel cell technology can achieve a break-through in mobile applications,” even as the age of electric cars accelerates across markets.

However, Europe must catch up with Asian countries, it adds, even as a push for electricity shapes climate policy. For Germany and Europe to take on a leading role in fuel cell technologies, their industries need to be strengthened and sustainably developed, the report finds. In its paper, the NPM Working Group 4 – which aims to secure Germany as a place for mobility, battery cell production, recycling, training and qualification – states that the “chances of fuel cell technology achieving a break-through in the automotive industry – even in Europe – are better than ever,” echoing recent remarks from BMW's chief about hydrogen's appeal.

The development, expansion and use of the technology in various applications are now supported by “a significantly modified regulatory framework and new political ambitions, as stipulated in the National Hydrogen Strategy,” while updated forecasts show e-mobility driving electricity demand in Germany, the report stresses. In terms of cost of ownership, “hydrogen solutions can hold their own compared to other technologies” and there are “many promising developments in the transport sector, especially in heavy transport.”

If research and development efforts can help optimise installation space and weight as well as increase the operating temperature of fuel cells, hydrogen solutions can also become attractive for maritime, rail and air transport, even as other electrochemical approaches, such as flow battery cars, progress, the report notes. Tax incentives -- such as the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) surcharge exemption for green hydrogen -- can contribute to the technology’s appeal, it adds.

Fuel cell drives are often seen as a way to decarbonise certain areas of transport, such as heavy trucks. However, producing the hydrogen in a sustainable way consumes a lot of renewable electricity that power companies must supply in other sectors, and experts say electricity vs hydrogen trade-offs favor battery-electric trucks because they are much cheaper to run than other low-emission technologies, including fuel cells.

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New York BESS advance renewable energy storage, boosting grid reliability and resilience with utility-scale projects, strict safety oversight, and NYPA leadership to meet 6,000 MW by 2030 and 1,500 MW by 2035 targets.

Key Points

New York BESS are battery storage projects that balance the grid, enable renewables, and meet strict safety rules.

✅ State targets: 6,000 MW by 2030; 1,500 MW by 2035.

✅ NYPA 20-MW project eases congestion, boosts reliability.

✅ FDNY, NYC DOB, and state agencies enforce stringent safety rules.

In the evolving landscape of renewable energy, New York State is making significant advancements through the deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), a trend mirrored by Ontario's plan to rely on battery storage to meet rising demand today. These systems are becoming a crucial component in the shift towards a more sustainable and clean energy future, by providing a solution to one of renewable energy's most significant challenges: storage.

BESS plays a critical role in bridging the gap between energy generation and consumption, and many utilities see benefits in energy storage across their systems today, too. During periods of surplus generation, such as sunny or windy conditions conducive to solar and wind power production, BESS captures and stores excess electricity. This stored energy can then be released back into the grid during times of high demand or when generation is low, ensuring a consistent and reliable energy supply.

Governor Kathy Hochul's administration has been proactive in harnessing this technology. In a landmark move, the state inaugurated its first state-owned, utility-scale BESS facility in Franklin County's Chateaugay, and similar utility procurements, such as SDG&E's Emerald Storage solution, underscore market momentum, signifying a major step towards bolstering New York's BESS infrastructure. This facility, featuring five large enclosures each housing over 19,500 batteries, signifies the beginning of New York's ambitious journey towards expanding its BESS capabilities.

Environmental advocates, including the New York League of Conservation Voters, have lauded these developments, viewing them as essential to meeting New York's climate goals, and they point to community-scale deployments such as a Brooklyn low-income housing microgrid as tangible examples of equitable resilience, too. Currently, New York's BESS capacity stands at approximately 291 megawatts. However, Governor Hochul has set forth bold targets to escalate this capacity to 1,500 megawatts by 2035 and even more ambitiously, to 6,000 megawatts by 2030. Achieving these targets would enable the powering of 1.2 million homes with clean, renewable energy.

"Battery storage is pivotal for the reliability of our electric grid and for the phasing out of pollutive power plants that harm our communities," remarked Pat McClellan, NYLCV’s Policy Director. The implementation of BESS is deemed vital for New York to attain its statutory climate mandates, including achieving 70 percent renewable energy by 2030 and 100 percent clean energy by 2040.

Safety and regulatory oversight are paramount in the proliferation of BESS facilities, especially in densely populated areas like New York City. The state has introduced stringent regulations, overseen by both the NYC Fire Department and the NYC Buildings Department, with state and federal governments also playing a crucial role in ensuring the safe deployment of these technologies, and best practices from jurisdictions focused on enabling storage in Ontario's electricity system can inform ongoing refinements as well.

In a significant announcement last August, Governor Hochul underscored the necessity of state oversight on BESS safety issues. She announced the formation of a new Inter-Agency Fire Safety Working Group tasked with examining energy storage facility fires and safety standards. This group, comprising six state agencies, recently unveiled its findings and recommendations, which will undergo public review.

Governor Hochul emphasized, "The battery energy storage industry is pivotal for communities across New York to transition to a clean energy future, and comprehensive safety standards are critical." The state's proactive stance on adopting these recommendations aims to safeguard New York’s transition to clean energy.

The completion of the Northern New York Energy Storage Project, a 20-MW facility operated by the New York Power Authority, marks a significant milestone in New York's clean energy journey. This project, aimed at alleviating transmission congestion and enhancing grid reliability, serves as a model for integrating clean energy, especially during peak demand periods, as other regions, such as Ontario, are plunging into energy storage to address looming supply crunches.

Located in a region where over 80% of electricity is generated from renewable sources, this project not only supports the state's clean energy grid but also accelerates New York's energy storage and climate objectives. Governor Hochul expressed, “Deploying energy storage technologies enhances our power supply's reliability and resilience, further enabling New York to construct a robust clean energy grid.”

As New York State advances towards its ambitious energy storage and climate goals, the development and deployment of BESS are critical. These systems not only enhance grid reliability and resilience but also support the broader transition to renewable energy sources, including emerging long-duration storage projects that expand flexibility, marking an essential step in New York's commitment to a sustainable and clean energy future.

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Building Energy Iowa Wind Farm delivers 30 MW of renewable energy near Des Moines, generating 110 GWh annually with wind turbines, a long-term PPA, CO2 reduction, and community benefits like jobs and clean power.

Key Points

Building Energy Iowa Wind Farm is a 30 MW project generating 110 GWh a year, cutting CO2 and supporting local jobs.

✅ 30 MW capacity, 10 onshore turbines (3 MW each)

✅ ~110 GWh per year; power for 11,000 households

✅ Long-term PPA; jobs and emissions reductions in Iowa

With 110 GWh generated per year, the plant will be beneficial to Iowa's environment, reflecting broader Iowa wind power investment trends, contributing to the reduction of 100,000 tons of CO2 emissions, as well as providing economic benefits to host local communities.

Building Energy SpA, multinational company operating as a global integrated IPP in the Renewable Energy Industry, amid milestones such as Enel's 450 MW U.S. wind project, through its subsidiary Building Energy Wind Iowa LLC, announces the inauguration of its first wind farm in Iowa, which adds up to 30 MW of wind distribution generation capacity. The project, located north of Des Moines, in Story, Boone, Hardin and Poweshiek counties, will generate approximately 110 GWh per year. The beginning of operations has been celebrated on the occasion of the Wind of Life event in Ames, Iowa, in the presence of Andrea Braccialarghe, MD America of Building Energy, Alessandro Bragantini, Chief Operating Officer of Building Energy and Giuseppe Finocchiaro, Italian Consul General.

The overall investment in the construction of the Iowa distribution generation wind farms amounted to $58 million and it sells its energy and related renewable credits under a bundled, long-term power purchase agreement with a local utility, reflecting broader utility investment trends such as WEC Energy's Illinois wind stake in the region.

The wind facility, developed, financed, owned and operated by Building Energy, consists of ten 3.0 MW geared onshore wind turbines, each with a rotor diameter of 125 meters mounted on an 87.5 meter steel tower. The energy generated will satisfy the energy needs of 11,000 U.S. households every year, similar in community impact to North Carolina's first wind farm, while avoiding the emission of about 70,000 tons of CO2 emissions every year, according to US Environmental Protection Agency methodology, which is equivalent to taking 15,000 cars off the road each year.

Besides the environmental benefits, the wind farm also has advantages for the local community, providing it with clean energy and creating jobs for local Iowans. The project involved more than a hundred of local skilled workers during the construction phase. Some of those jobs will be also permanent as necessary for the operation and maintenance activities as well as for additional services such as delivery, transportation, spare parts management, landscape mitigation, and further environmental monitoring studies.

The Company is present in many US states since 2013 with more than 500 MW of projects under development, spread across different renewable energy technologies, and aligning with federal initiatives like DOE wind energy awards that support innovation.

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Space-Based Solar Power enables wireless energy transfer from orbital solar arrays, using microwave beaming to rectennas on Earth, delivering clean baseload power beyond weather and night limits, as demonstrated by Caltech and NASA.

Key Points

Space-based solar power beams microwaves from arrays to rectennas, delivering clean electricity beyond weather and night.

✅ Caltech demo proved wireless power transfer in space.

✅ Microwaves beam to rectennas for grid-scale clean energy.

✅ Operates above clouds, enabling continuous baseload supply.

Ali Hajimiri thinks there’s a better way to power the planet — one that’s not getting the attention it deserves. The Caltech professor of electrical engineering envisages thousands of solar panels floating in space, unobstructed by clouds and unhindered by day-night cycles, effectively generating electricity from the night sky for continuous delivery, wirelessly transmitting massive amounts of energy to receivers on Earth.

This year, that vision moved closer to reality when Mr. Hajimiri, together with a team of Caltech researchers, proved that wireless power transfer in space was possible: Solar panels they had attached to a Caltech prototype in space successfully converted electricity into microwaves and beamed those microwaves to receivers, as a demonstration of beaming power from space to devices about a foot away, lighting up two LEDs.

The prototype also beamed a tiny but detectable amount of energy to a receiver on top of their lab’s building in Pasadena, Calif. The demonstration marks a first step in the wireless transfer of usable power from space to Earth, and advances in low-cost solar batteries could help store and smooth that power flow — a power source that Mr. Hajimiri believes will be safer than direct sun rays. “The beam intensity is to be kept less than solar intensity on earth,” he said.

Finding alternative energy sources is one of the topics that will be discussed by leaders in business, science and public policy, including wave energy, during The New York Times Climate Forward event on Thursday. The Caltech demonstration was a significant moment in the quest to realize space-based solar power, amid policy moves such as a proposed tenfold increase in U.S. solar that would remake the U.S. electricity system — a clean energy technology that has long been overshadowed by other long-shot clean energy ideas, such as nuclear fusion and low-cost clean hydrogen.

If space-based solar can be made to work on a commercial scale, said Nikolai Joseph, a NASA Goddard Space Flight Center senior technology analyst, and integrate with peer-to-peer energy sharing networks, such stations could contribute as much as 10 percent of global power by 2050.

The idea of space-based solar energy has been around since at least 1941, when the science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov set one of his short stories, “Reason,” on a solar station that beamed energy by microwaves to Earth and other planets.

In the 1970s, when a fivefold increase in oil prices sparked interest in alternative energy, NASA and the Department of Energy conducted the first significant study on the topic. In 1995, under the direction of the physicist John C. Mankins, NASA took another look and concluded that investments in space-launch technology were needed to lower the cost and move closer to cheap abundant electricity before space-based solar power could be realized.

“There was never any doubt about it being technically feasible,” said Mr. Mankins, now president of Artemis Innovation Management Solutions, a technology consulting group. “The cost was too prohibitive.”

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US Renewable Energy Growth drives the US electricity mix as wind, solar, and hydropower rise while coal, natural gas, and nuclear decline, boosting market share month over month and year over year across the grid.

Key Points

US Renewable Energy Growth tracks rising wind, solar, and hydro shares in the mix as coal, gas, and nuclear decline.

✅ Wind and solar surpass nuclear in April share

✅ Renewables reach 29.3% of US electricity in April

✅ Coal and natural gas shares trend lower since 2020

Electricity generated by renewable energy sources continues to grow month over month and year over year in the United States. In April 2022, the share of US electricity coming from renewable energy was up to 29.3%, surpassing a record April level reported previously in national data. That was up from 24.8% in April 2020 and 25.7% in April 2021.

Looking at the first four months of the year, renewables provided 25.5% of US electricity, and were the second-most U.S. source in 2020 as well, while the figure for January–April 2020 was 21.7% and the figure for January–April 2021 was 22.5%.

Coal power (20.2% of US electricity) was down year over year in this time period (from 22% in January–April 2021), even as renewables surpassed coal in 2022 nationwide, but is admittedly still a bit higher than it was in January–April 2020 (16.8%).

Electricity from natural gas is also down year over year, but only very slightly (34.7% for both years). Though, it has dropped significantly since January–April 2020 (39.6%).

Electricity from nuclear power continued to take a steady, step-by-step tumble.

Wind & Solar Power Growth Strong
As reported earlier, April was the first month that wind and solar power provided more electricity than nuclear across the United States. Wind and solar power provided 21% of US electricity, while nuclear power provided 17.8% of US electricity (coal, incidentally, also provided 17.8% of US electricity, but wind and solar had provided more electricity than coal in some previous months as well).

Wind and solar power’s combined market share for the first four months of the year was up from just 14.6% in 2020 and 18.4% in 2021.

Looking at their growth year over year, you can see strong and continuous expansion of solar-provided electricity and wind-provided electricity, amid favorable government plans that have supported deployment.

Solar grew from 2.9% in January–April 2020 to 3.6%in January–April 2021 to, eventually, 4.4% in January–April 2022, with solar's 2022 share rising to 4.7% for the full year. Wind rose from 9.2% to 10.3% to 12.2%.

Together, wind and solar were up from 12.1% in January–April 2020 to 13.9% in January–April 2021, reflecting a surge in wind power within the U.S. electricity mix over this period, to 16.7% January–April 2022.

Hydropower (6.5%) is holding approximately the same position as the same period in 2021 (6.5%), but it is down a significant chunk from April 2020 (8.2%).

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