Sparkz Inc., an innovative next-generation battery manufacturer announced today the awarding of a $9.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The DOE grant will fund a first-of-a-kind production facility for critical raw materials essential for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery manufacturing. This strategic investment will revitalize and transform a closed manufacturing facility in the heart of West Virginia’s coal country. This initiative is a vital step toward building a fully domestic, resilient supply chain for LFP batteries, supporting the national goal of enhancing the security of the clean energy supply chain.
“We are excited to partner with the United Mine Workers of America to help West Virginia workers, while simultaneously establishing a first-of-a-kind LFP raw material production facility,” said Sanjiv Malhotra, Founder and CEO of SPARKZ. “This project will ensure that the men and women who have powered our nation for decades can continue to play a critical role in their state’s economy.”
The UMWA was also excited about the news.
“This agreement marks a meaningful step forward for workers who have been hit hard by the downturn in traditional mining jobs,” UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said. “It represents an opportunity for laid-off miners to return to the workforce in well-paying jobs that support their families and communities. As West Virginia faces the ongoing energy transition, we are eager to work alongside SPARKZ to create long-term, sustainable opportunities for our members and their communities.”
Training and recruitment for the new workforce will take place at the UMWA Career Center, known for providing displaced workers with the skills necessary to thrive in new industries.
The project was part of $428 million awarded for 14 projects to accelerate domestic clean energy manufacturing in 15 coal communities across the United States. The Sparkz project is listed with a Bridgeport dateline, but it is actually just over the Harrison County line in Taylor County. It will be off U.S. Route in the nearly 500,000 square foot former home of Alliance Glass Corporation (formerly Fourco).
Sparkz has three site locations listed on its Website. They include Livermore, CA; Sacramento, CA: and Taylor County.
The DOE said it will be a first-of-its-kind battery-grade iron phosphate (FePO4) plant in the United States. It is expected to create 75 high quality jobs.
The projects, led by small-and medium-businesses in communities with de-commissioned coal facilities, were selected by DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) to address critical energy supply chain vulnerabilities. Five of the projects will be in, or adjacent to, disadvantaged communities, and every project will include a community benefits plan developed to maximize economic, health, and environmental benefits in the coal communities that power our nation for generations. Each project further positions the United States to win the competition for the 21st century and strengthen our national security by building supply chains for existing and emerging technologies in America, built by American workers with American materials. The projects will leverage over $500 million in private sector investment into small- and medium-manufacturers and create over 1,900 good-paying, high quality jobs.
“The transition to America’s clean energy future is being shaped by communities filled with the valuable talent and experience that comes from powering our country for decades,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. “By leveraging the know-how and skillset of the former coal workforce, we are strengthening our national security while helping advance forward-facing technologies and revitalize communities across the nation.”
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