On August 8, 2023, United States Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm visited St. Louis to tout the Biden administration’s clean energy plan. As part of her visit, she attended a groundbreaking event for ICL, a specialty minerals company that received a $197 million grant from the DOE to build a battery materials plant on its existing campus in South St. Louis. The plant is expected to create 150 new jobs and hundreds of construction jobs.
In her remarks at the groundbreaking event, Granholm said that the plant is a “critical step” in the Biden administration’s plan to make the United States a leader in the clean energy economy. She also said that the plant will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create good-paying jobs in St. Louis.
Granholm also visited the Weldon Spring Interpretive Center, which is located near the site of a former uranium processing plant. The plant was used to produce uranium for nuclear weapons during World War II and the Cold War. Granholm said that the Biden administration is committed to cleaning up the site and providing compensation to the residents who were affected by the plant’s operations.
In addition to her visit to St. Louis, Granholm also visited the Quad Cities in Iowa on August 8. In the Quad Cities, she announced a $1.3 billion investment in clean energy projects, including a new wind farm and a solar panel manufacturing plant.
Granholm’s visit to St. Louis and the Quad Cities was part of a broader effort by the Biden administration to promote clean energy and create jobs in the Midwest. The administration is hoping to make the Midwest a leader in the clean energy economy, and it is investing billions of dollars in clean energy projects in the region.
Here are some additional details about the ICL battery materials plant:
- The plant is expected to be operational by 2025.
- It will produce lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are a type of lithium-ion battery that is used in electric vehicles.
- The plant is expected to create 150 new jobs and hundreds of construction jobs.
- The plant is receiving a $197 million grant from the DOE.
The plant is a significant investment in the clean energy economy and it is expected to create good-paying jobs in St. Louis. The Biden administration is committed to making the United States a leader in the clean energy economy, and this plant is a step in the right direction.
