WASHINGTON (7 August 2009) — IEEE-USA commends the Department of Energy for awarding $2.4 billion in grants to fund 48 new advanced battery and electric drive projects.
“We welcome these investments, because electrifying transportation addresses two of our greatest needs: reducing our consumption of petroleum and limiting the release of greenhouse gases,” IEEE-USA President Gordon Day said.
The grants are the largest single investment in advanced battery technology for hybrid and electric-drive vehicles. When coupled with an expected $2.4 billion in cost share from the grant awardees, they are expected to create thousands of jobs in the U.S. battery and automotive industries. General Motors will receive about $241 million, Ford will get nearly $100 million and Chrysler $70 million.
IEEE-USA called for electrifying the transportation system through widespread deployment of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in its January “National Energy Policy Recommendations.” See http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/positions/energypolicy.pdf.
The grants were announced by President Barack Obama on Wednesday. See http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/24-Billion-in-Grants-to-Accelerate-the-Manufacturing-and-Deployment-of-the-Next-Generation-of-US-Batteries-and-Electric-Vehicles/.
IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of more than 210,000 engineers, scientists and allied professionals who are U.S. members of IEEE. IEEE-USA is part of IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional society with 375,000 members in 160 countries. See http://www.ieeeusa.org.
