TAYLOR COUNTY, W.Va. — A $9.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy is expected to help a lithium ion battery producer establish operations on U.S. Route 50 outside Bridgeport.
The facility will manufacture lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for forklifts and agricultural applications and could create up to 75 jobs.
Two years ago, SPARKZ and the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) entered into a labor-management agreement to revitalize the local economy and help workers from the coal industry who have been displaced by trends in alternative energy.
“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.”
“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.”
This is part of a $428 million in grants announced Tuesday to expand battery and other clean energy manufacturing in communities that have been hit hard by recent closures of coal mines and power plants.