Northwest wins big with stimulus funds for electric cars, new battery technology
The Obama administration's Department of Energy awarded more than $2.4 billion in grants yesterday to signficantly increase deployment of electric vehicles. The funding was part of the President's federal stimulus package approved by Congress earlier this year.
Nissan's new electric car: the Leaf
Grants with a Northwest connection include:
- $99.8 million to eTec, a Arizona-based company that is partnering with Nissan to deploy up to 5,000 battery electric vehicles in five states -- Arizona, Oregon, Washington and Tennessee -- including the charging infrastructure to support the vehicles. Oregon and Washington are set to get as many as as 1,000 vehicles each, along with up to 2,500 charging stations in each state. The Seattle area, Portland, Salem, Corvallis and Eugene will all participate in the project.
- $21 Million to EnerG2, a Seattle startup, which intends to build the worlds first commercial-scale plant for nano-structured ultracapicitors for advanced energy storage. The plant is planned for Albany Oregon. EnerG2 is backed by BLCS friends OVP and Yaletown Partners and is one of the first commercial companies to arise from UW's nano-materials energy initiative.
- $22 million to a small Oregon non-profit, Cascade Sierra Solutions, to provide electricification at truck stops and modify over 5000 trucks to limit emissions from truck idling.
Here's more:
The Seattle Times: Stimulus funds jolt car-charging-station plans
The Oregonian: Oregon scores millions for electric vehicle development
Eugene Register-Guard: State gains electric car funds
The New York Times: $2 Billion in Grants to Bolster U.S. Manufacturing of Parts for Electric Cars
Xconomy: EnerG2 Wins $21.3M in Stimulus Funding to Build Ultracapacitor Materials Plant in Oregon
