Why did the U.S. grant $2.4 billion for batteries? Independence
President Obama announcing $2.4 billion battery grants - Click above to watch the video after the jump
The trick to dominating technology in the new automotive reality – the one that won't be based on liquid fuels, especially not petroleum – lies in the batteries. We've already heard the phrase "the Saudi Arabia of plug-in cars" bandied about and some national security folks are worried about Bolivia, with its massive reserves of lithium, might be able to assert itself onto the world stage the way Saudi Arabia did last century thanks to its oil deposits. Taking control of the plug-in vehicle future is the reasoning behind the recent $2.4 billion federal government investment in advanced batteries and the cars and charging networks that will use them, according to the Christian Science Monitor.
Since IHS Global Insight is predicting a massive increase in the number of vehicles sold in the U.S. that will have "some kind of battery power at their core" (about 47 percent by 2020), being able to build your own packs reduces dependence on other countries in a big way. President Obama made this perfectly clear during his announcement of the grants, saying, "I don't want to have to import a hybrid car. I want to build a hybrid car here." Watch a video of Obama's speech after the jump.
[Source: Christian Science Monitor]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike Z 2:09PM (8/11/2009)
It there really a place for this nationalistic 'we don't want to import' rhetoric in the 21st century? Really?
Have you ever heard of anyone complain about our dependence on Mexico for for Tequila? Does anyone here even bother to notice where your TV is made?
I think this has to do with some in Washington who still cling to the idea that having Americans work in manufacturing (aka sit on an assembly line all day) is actually a good thing. I rather we dedicate our nation towards solving problems and not just work assembly lines.
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coyo t 2:49PM (8/11/2009)
People have are simply beginning to understand why it is important. For example, food from China/alt has often poisoned us and ours pets because they do not have a FDA nor do they have a EPA and are often destroying our environment.
There are also things we find important such as our disgust of child labor and slavery and since many countries allow these things since they do not have workers rights we are questioning them.
In other words, out of sight out of mind is becoming antiquated.
Mike Z 3:13PM (8/11/2009)
Are you suggesting that li-ion batteries, which are assembled in clean rooms, much like microprocessors, are comparable to a textiles factory or a e-waste recovery toxic swamp? The two are not even close to being comparable.
coyo t 3:28PM (8/11/2009)
I think they are as comparable, a lot more so, than say Tequila is.
chado8705 8:29AM (8/12/2009)
He didn't say he doesn't want us to import things anymore. He's saying that if we're gonna not continue to be dependent on foreign oil we don't need to become dependent on foreign technology to power our cars including batteries and renewable energy sources. He's saying that this growing industry has huge potential to put people back to work and make this country stronger. And it is all about fixing problems, our dependence on foreign oil and health care, more specifically our hurting economy. It has nothing to do with wanting to "make people stand on assembly lines". There are millions of people right now that wish they could be doing that. And to compare importing hybrid cars and renewable technology to tequila and televisions is idiotic. Just like saying that he doesn't want us to find solutions to our problems when he talked about all the money going into innovative small business and R&D. Maybe you should actually listen to what he is saying (not focusing on one phrase in a 20 minute speech) and stop putting words into his mouth.
ronEbear 2:19PM (8/11/2009)
Americans are the world`s biggest hypocrites. This "buy" American rhetoric is bullshit. How much do you suppose you Nike shoes would cost if they were made and sold in the U.S.? You people would cry "FOUL!" . I hope this ends up biting you in the ass.
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coyo t 2:56PM (8/11/2009)
You are being very myopic. Folks are beginning to understand that cheap is not at all cheap in the long run. That gimcrack folks buy at places like Walmart, while it may seem affordable is destroying the air we breath, the water we drink and the earth we eat from. Pollution knows no boundaries. One example being the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, google it.
ronEbear 3:38PM (8/11/2009)
I fully know of the garbage patch. I also know that it is American consumerism and the love of disposables that created it. Manufacturing outsourced to please American greed. Outsourcing to keep the "American way of life" by taking advantage of the less fortunate. It happened with slavery and continues with outsourcing.
Mark Kiernan 2:23PM (8/11/2009)
I imagine about 20% of a VW is actually made in Germany (majority in China). Lithium is a bit of a red herring as lithium is the source now it may be something else in a few year.s
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CaramelZappa 2:30PM (8/11/2009)
Guys, the difference between being dependant on oil from the middle east and shoes from china is that the countries over there are hugely unstable and often at war. We can't depend on countries like that for something as vital as transportation. Even if China stopped making our Nike's, and all of our other things, we would be able to do it here, at a higher cost. There's only so much oil in the world, and we need to cut our dependence from it or we are going to be as unstable as the countries in the middle east.
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coyo t 3:02PM (8/11/2009)
Cheap is often the most expensive. For example it may be cheap to make something and dump your waste in the river out back. It is very expensive to clean up the river. Also since folks drink and grow food from the same river they get sick which is very costly. It would be wiser to not dump the waste in the river but that makes things more expensive.
The only reason imported goods appear cheaper is because they do not have labor laws or environmental protections.
Mike Z 3:14PM (8/11/2009)
coyo t:
Can you please cite a source of a company that provides merchandise sold at walmart dumping waste in a river. If you can not provide such evidence, please explain how you can argue without such evidence.
ronEbear 3:29PM (8/11/2009)
This not an environmental concern. This is of a financial nature. All environment talk is irrelevant. The issue is about buying American. Most of America`s stuff is NOT made in America due to the fact that it`s cheaper to outsource the labor. It is 100% hypocritical that such a proposition exists UNLESS they agree to 100% buy American which will never happen. Sure jobs would be created but who could afford to buy the fruits of labor?
This just solidifies the notion that America is a big xenophobic hypocrite.
coyo t 3:45PM (8/11/2009)
ronEbear, it is indeed an environmental concern as that plays a key role in all things considered including labor laws in fact environmental issues often make up many aspects of labor laws, see our Occupational Safety and Health Administration for more info.
mike 8:20PM (8/11/2009)
I am 100% for this.
We should be poring money into advanced energy and battery research like we do defense and like we did the moon landing in the 60s.
I'll go further... we should be collaborating with other allies on the research with the goal that the technology will be shared and made available to all countries.
The military will not go for that as they will want to use the increased range capabilities as an advantage on any possible battle field.
But the sooner everyone has access to cheap renewable energy the fewer wars will be fought in the first place.
I am about 40 years old.
And nothing would make me happier on my deathbed than to have seen two technological revolutions in my lifetime.
The first I have already seen - it is the advent of the computer.
It would be awesome to see the second - a fundamental switch to renewable energy.
Each would be as big a step forward as the wheel.
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Curt 10:36PM (8/11/2009)
Factory that makes clothes for Gap and Levis dumps chemicals into African river.
VID:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keBmr9IMURs
Walmart sells Levis.
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Holden Miecranc 10:21AM (8/12/2009)
Just FYI- half of that money is going overseas. Only $1.2B stays in America.
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porkov 3:07PM (8/12/2009)
May I suggest you go back and read Megatrends? (Pub. 1982)
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lgv 4:08PM (8/12/2009)
coyo_t's points are senseless. Walmart is evil because they mark the same goods up less than other retailers? I guess buying the same Sony TV at Walmart somehow pollutes more than if it were bought in boutique.
FDA and poisened Chinese food? Actually, the FDA regulates imports. Where were they on this one? They aren't interested in what we export to other countries. It is the importing country that cares. (I export OTC drugs).
This sort of protectionism is political and not economically rational. It only serves to protect certain interests at cost to all other interests, including the consumer. The button industry was protected from imports for many years. It was a necessary war good and couldn't be allowed to be controlled by foreign countries long after military boots no longer used buttons (WWI).
"We are dependent on Saudi Oil" is another canard. Sure, we make them rich, just like we make Japanese electronics companies rich. But the converse is true. Saudi Oil is dependent on US demand.
If foreign trade or "dependence" is bad, just eliminate all trade. No more imports or exports. See what happens to our standard of living. Poor people will be hurt the worst. You know, those people who get by by shopping at Walmart.
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lgv 4:09PM (8/12/2009)
[Quote]
Factory that makes clothes for Gap and Levis dumps chemicals into African river.
VID:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keBmr9IMURs
Walmart sells Levis.
[/quote]
So do a lot of stores. Why pick on Walmart? When Nike contracted with those who used sweatshops, did anyone blame the retailers? No. The attack was on Nike.
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