Michigan – Working the Green

Way to go, Govenor!

In 1800, Alessandro Volta made the first battery by layering plates of silver and zinc with blotting paper that had been soaked in salt water, he called it a voltaic pile. Each layer in the pile increased the battery’s voltage. In 1859, a French physicist named Gaston Plante created the lead acid cell. It later became the world’s first rechargeable battery.

Lithium-ion batteries (sometimes abbreviated Li-ion batteries) are a type of rechargeable battery in which a lithium ion moves between the anode and cathode. The lithium ion moves from the anode to the cathode during discharge and in reverse, from the cathode to the anode, when charging. Lithium-ion batteries can be formed into a wide variety of shapes and sizes so as to efficiently fill available space in the devices they power. They’re generally much lighter than other types of rechargeable batteries of the same size. The electrodes of a lithium-ion battery are made of lightweight lithium and carbon. Lithium is also a highly reactive element, meaning that a lot of energy can be stored in its atomic bonds. This translates into a very high energy density for lithium-ion batteries. Plus there is no issue with the memory effect, like the nickel-cadium does. When a nickel-cadium battery is recharged before it discharges the majority of its power, it essentially “forgets” that it could fully discharge to begin with. This problem is termed the memory effect.

But there are still some drawbacks to the lithium-ion battery technology. Li-ion batteries are not as durable as nickel metal hydride or nickel-cadmium designs, and can be extremely dangerous if mistreated. They may explode if overheated or if charged to an excessively high voltage and they can be irreversibly damaged if discharged below a certain voltage. Therefore protection circuits are required that add to the weight and cost.

These drawbacks are a major hurdle in powering a new generation of cleaner, more fuel-efficient, and cost effective cars and trucks. But in an outstanding example of public-private collaboration, that hurdle may have just been cleared.

On Tuesday April 14, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm announced that Michigan’s aggressive effort to grow the advanced-battery industry and the jobs it will create has resulted in four companies announcing plans to invest more than $1.7 billion to launch advanced-battery manufacturing facilities in Michigan. The projects that will create 6,683 new jobs in Michigan were awarded state refundable tax credits that will help the companies in their quest for some of the $2 billion in federal grants for advanced-battery research and development. The four companies are: Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions LLC, LG Chem-Compact Power Inc., KD Advanced Battery Group LLC, and A123Systems Inc.

“Today marks a defining moment for Michigan’s future as we see a new industry begin to take root and grow new jobs,” Granholm said. “Thanks to the most aggressive economic strategy of any state in the country, Michigan, the global center of automotive research and development, is positioned to lessen the nation’s dependence on foreign oil and become the advanced battery capital of the world.”

Now that’s the way to create jobs, go green, and stimulate the economy! The state of Michigan is facilitating growth to address critical needs: sustainable technologies and manufacturing prowess. This is what the other 49 Governors should be doing. Or you listening Gov. Perry?….Rick?…..yo Rick! …..RICK !!!

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