Reuters-Senators urge US to take steps to boost battery production citing China
November 6, 2023 2 min 351 words
这则报道呼吁美国采取措施提高电池生产，特别引用了中国的垄断地位和出口控制。参议院情报委员会主席马克·沃纳和能源委员会主席乔·曼钦在信中提到美国在商用电池技术上落后亚洲十到二十年，同时中国占据了75%以上的电池生产。这一问题对国家安全和军事系统至关重要，因为锂离子电池在军用设备中扮演关键角色。 这份信凸显了中国在全球电动汽车电池供应链中的主导地位，特别是石墨的生产，这是电池阳极的主要组成部分。值得注意的是，中国对大部分锂离子电池所需的五种重要矿物的采矿或精炼控制在60%到100%之间。美国2022年仅生产不到10%的锂离子电池，而预计到2035年需求将增长七倍。 这一报道强调了美国必须在电池技术和替代化学品领域领先，以确保国家能源安全。与国防部和其他国家安全机构协调以支持采购创新的美国开发的能源储存技术也是至关重要的。 总之，这则报道突出了美国在电池技术领域的滞后和中国在全球供应链中的主导地位，强调了迫切需要采取行动以确保国家的能源和国防安全。这也是一项关乎国家长远利益的重要问题，需要政府和产业界紧密合作，加速电池技术的发展和生产。
Two influential Democratic U.S. senators urged the Energy Department to take steps to boost U.S. battery manufacturing and next-generation battery research, citing China's dominance and export controls, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner and Energy Committee Chair Joe Manchin cited experts saying that the United States is "ten to twenty years behind Asia in commercialization of battery technology," and noted that China accounts for more than 75% of battery cell production.
"The U.S. must become a leader in manufacturing batteries and battery components, while securing our supply chains for the materials that make up those components," the senators wrote in a previously unreported letter seen by Reuters, citing China's decision last month to restrict exports of graphite, critical to manufacturing battery anodes.
China dominates the global EV battery supply chain including production of graphite - the single largest component.
The letter noted in 2022 the United States produced less than 10% of lithium-ion batteries in 2022 and said demand is expected to grow over seven times by 2035.
The letter wants a committee briefing by Dec. 1 "on ongoing research and development of next-generation battery technologies."
Lithium-ion batteries, the Pentagon has said, are crucial to thousands of military systems from "handheld radios, to unmanned submersibles and to future capabilities like lasers, directed energy weapons and hybrid electric tactical vehicles," the letter noted.
China accounts for 70% of the global production of lithium-ion batteries, the letter said, noting of five critical minerals required for most lithium-ion batteries, China "controls between 60-100% of the mining or refining for these minerals."
The letter also said "it is critical that the U.S. lead in next-generation battery technology and alternative chemistries" and coordinate with the Department of Defense and other national security agencies "to support procurement of innovative, U.S.-developed energy storage technologies."
A spokesperson for Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm did not immediately respond to a request for comment.