Hundreds of jobs are on the way to Niagara County, all thanks to a major investment backed by President Biden and the U.S. Department of Energy and President Joe Biden’s American Battery Materials Initiative.
It aims to increase domestic production of 'reliable and sustainable' minerals used for electric vehicles, energy storage systems, medical devices, and other industrial applications.
Some 20 companies in 12 states are getting a combined $2.8 billion to make the president's vision a reality.
"This money is going to freeing them up to actually start making battery grade synthetic graphite, which is actually the component part basically of a battery,” Mitch Landrieu, senior advisor to President Biden and Infrastructure Law coordinator, said. "They are going to help move all of these vehicles and all the manufacturers of these trucks."
One of those companies getting a chunk of that cash is Anovion Battery Materials, which has a plant in Wheatfield. That facility is set to receive $117 million to help create more than 300 clean energy jobs.
"We are thrilled to have been recognized as a nominee for the Infrastructure Grant opportunity. This grant consideration will enable Anovion to expedite its ongoing investments in expansion to advance the company’s mission of growing a resilient, secure and sustainable North American lithium-ion battery supply chain," said Eric Stopka, chief executive officer of Anovion. "This nomination affirms Anovion’s commitment to creating a meaningful, positive impact on the environment, communities where we currently and plan to operate, people we employ, and the broader clean-energy economy. Anovion’s existing qualified commercial products, process technologies, focus on R&D, and experienced team uniquely position this project for success."
Anovion has two plants in the U.S. The other one is located in the state of Alabama. Jobs will be created in Wheatfield and that Alabama plant as well, thanks to this new funding.