Frankfort, KY - From the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development

Underscoring his commitment to positioning the Commonwealth as the center of the nation's automotive industry of the future, Gov. Steve Beshear recently announced two major developments that will help propel Kentucky into the national spotlight. 

The first is a partnership between the state, the University of Kentucky (UK), the University of Louisville (U of L) and Argonne National Laboratory to establish a national Battery Manufacturing Research and Development Center in Lexington.

The laboratory will help develop and deploy a domestic supply of advanced battery technologies for vehicle applications that will aid in securing U.S. energy independence, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help strengthen the economy.
 
"The Kentucky-Argonne partnership will help in turning the tide on U.S. battery development and support President Obama's goal to have one million Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles on the road by 2015," Argonne Director Robert Rosner said.  "It will help to bridge the gap between research and commercialization by facilitating the development and deployment of advanced manufacturing processes for lithium-ion and other advanced batteries."

Kentucky's history in the auto industry and related workforce played a significant role in the attraction of such a facility.  Additionally, the region is within 500 miles of more than 4,800 auto-related vehicle manufacturers, including 69 vehicle assembly plants.

Less than a week following the Argonne partnership announcement, Gov. Beshear joined officials from the National Alliance for Advanced Transportation Batteries (NAATBatt) to announce the selection of a 1,551-acre site in Glendale, Ky., as the home for its proposed manufacturing and headquarters complex.

NAATBatt is a not-for-profit industry consortium of more than 50 corporations, associations and research institutions dedicated to making the U.S. a world leader in the manufacture of advanced lithium-ion or Li-Ion battery cells for transportation applications.

The alliance chose Kentucky in a fierce competition over seven other states.  The consortium will submit a proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy by May 19, 2009, seeking federal stimulus dollars set aside by the Obama administration for electric drive vehicle battery and component manufacturing projects.

If successful in securing the federal money, NAATBatt would establish a manufacturing campus consisting of a headquarters facility, a manufacturing facility used to refine products and production processes, and a larger operation designed for mass battery manufacturing.

The one-of-a-kind manufacturing operation could create as many as 2,000 new full-time jobs and a capital investment in excess of $600 million.  An additional 1,500 construction jobs would also be created for a period of 12 to 18 months.
 
"These developments are further evidence of the strong momentum we're building here in Kentucky as we position ourselves to be a leader in this national inititative," Gov. Beshear said. "There is a tremendous opportunity to make Kentucky the battery technology capital of the U.S., bringing an infusion of 'green' jobs to the state.  I plan to pursue every avenue to seize this opportunity."
           

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Tim Moore - News Director

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