Detroit Free Press: Ann Arbor will house new federally funded advanced battery hub

By Ben Freed Business Reporter
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Posted on Thu, Nov 29, 2012 : 3:26 p.m.

A new federally funded advanced battery center satellite office in Ann Arbor likely will be announced Friday, keeping the city at the forefront of new battery technology, the Detroit Free Press reports.

The story quotes sources that say the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research will open offices in Ann Arbor and Holland, Mich.

A123_Systems_lithium_ion_battery_pack.jpg

A123 Systems and other battery companies have been attracted by the talent and automotive expertise available in Southeastern Michigan.

Photo courtesy of A123 Systems

According to the report, the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, the lab that developed the technology used in the Chevy Volt battery, will host the center. The Department of Energy will commit $120 million over five years to the project, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation has also promised $5 million.

Ann Arbor is no stranger to the battery and energy storage field. Sakti3, T/J Technologies, and the recently bankrupt A123 Systems all have been on the cutting edge of developing new batteries for automotive and other uses.

Funding for the center and the satellite offices comes from this year’s congressional appropriations bill. Debbie Stabenow D-Mich. had proposed similar hubs in a Battery Innovation Act that failed to pass during the previous congressional session.

Click here to read the full report from the Detroit Free Press.

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Ben Freed covers business for AnnArbor.com. You can sign up here to receive Business Review updates every week. Reach out to Ben at 734-623-2528 or email him at benfreed@annarbor.com. Follow him on twitter @BFreedinA2

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