FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 22, 2024
[BRIDGEPORT, W.V.] SPARKZ an innovative next-generation battery manufacturer, and the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) 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.
SPARKZ and UMWA have already established a labor-management agreement. The MOU represents a collaborative effort between SPARKZ and the UMWA to revitalize the local economy while prioritizing the needs of workers who have faced significant challenges in the wake of coal industry declines. By securing this agreement, the UMWA is ensuring that local workers are not left behind, but are at the forefront of this new industry, with the opportunity to build strong, sustainable careers in a cutting-edge field.
“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.”
“From day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has fought to ensure that the workers who’ve powered our nation for generations reap the economic rewards of today’s clean energy manufacturing boom. We are starting to see the results of this purposeful policy, with more than $39 billion in federal investments and more than $300 billion in private investments going to energy communities since President Biden took office,” said White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi. “As co-chair of the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization, I have seen firsthand the U.S. government organize in a new way to meet this opportunity and forge the necessary partnerships. Here in the heart of Pennsylvania’s coal country, we see those partnerships starting to turn the vision into reality, as the Mineworkers prepare to train coal workers for high-paying union jobs in SPARKZ’s new facility to manufacture next-generation batteries, backed by U.S. Department of Energy investments. By partnering with unions like the Mineworkers and innovative businesses like SPARKZ, we are delivering on the imperative to do right by the communities who built our nation.”
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.
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Click here to see release from the DOE.
