Lead battery industry welcomes Biden's 'buy American' bid to boost US economy, infrastructure

by John Shepherd
President Biden has pledged to pursue 'global leadership' in batteries and clean energy.
The US lead battery industry has said it expects to take part in a new ‘buy American’ programme launched by US President Joe Biden to revitalise the nation’s economy and infrastructure.

Battery Council International (BCI), the North American trade association representing the lead-based battery manufacturing, supply, recycling and distribution companies, said as the new Biden administration looks to advance battery technology, "the shovel-ready lead battery industry is poised to help meet the nation's growing energy needs”.

The announcement came as latest data from Essential Energy Everyday* – a BCI-led initiative – showed "daily lives would grind to a halt” without the use of lead batteries in key sectors, such as national security and defence, grid resiliency and communication and data networks.

'Green economy'

Roger Miksad, BCI executive vice-president and general counsel, said: "The lead battery industry, with its strong domestic supply chain, is ideally positioned to rapidly deliver on President Biden's promise to have American jobs support the nation's post-Covid economic recovery, and also to ensure America's global leadership on technological innovation and a green economy infrastructure.”

"Lead batteries are used in transportation, data storage, renewable energy and other vital functions – and more than 90% of the batteries needed in the US are sourced and manufactured right here in the US,” Miksad said.

President Biden issued an executive order on 25 January which said the US government should, "whenever possible, procure goods, products, materials, and services from sources that will help American businesses compete in strategic industries and help America’s workers thrive”.

*Click on the link below to see Essential Energy Everyday’s new video.