The Ultium Cells EV battery plant in Lansing, Michigan, is a 2.8 million-square-foot facility being built to supply vehicle batteries to Toyota Motor Corp. Once fully operational, it aims to produce up to 50 gigawatt-hours of battery cells annually and create over 1,700 high-tech jobs in the region. (source)
Climate United announced a new program to offer affordable leasing options for battery electric trucks to small fleets and independent operators to lower operational costs and reduce air pollution in port communities, beginning at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles with the intention to expand nationally. Leveraging a $6.97 billion award from the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Clean Investment Fund, Climate United Fund intends to invest up to $250 million to purchase up to 500 class 8 electric trucks, making it the largest single order of electric trucks in U.S. history. This program will accelerate the growth of electric truck manufacturing and battery technology innovation that is needed to deploy zero-emission, heavy-duty vehicles in communities across America.
The City of San Antonio is slashing energy costs and reducing pollution by installing solar panels at 42 city-owned buildings and parking lots, using Direct Pay incentives to make the project more affordable. This smart investment is expected to save taxpayers up to $11 million over 25 years, while creating full-time jobs and helping clean up the air for local families and communities.
Texas-based Solar Proponent’s many solar PV projects across the state will bring 3,990 MW of energy online in the next two years. This includes the company’s planned solar-plus-storage projects, such as the 600+ MW Lunis Creek project in Jackson County and the 800+ MW Tehuacana Creek project in Navarro County.
In July 2023, Enphase announced a $60 million investment in a new manufacturing facility in Columbia, South Carolina, creating 600 new jobs in the state and 1,200 jobs across the country. Enphase said the facility was “made possible” by the Inflation Reduction Act’s financial incentives for clean energy manufacturing.
Cummins Inc. announced today that the company has been awarded $75 million to convert approximately 360,000 sq. ft. of existing manufacturing space at its Columbus (Indiana) Engine Plant (CEP) for zero-emissions components and electric powertrain systems. The $75 million grant is the largest federal grant ever awarded solely to Cummins and is part of the appropriations related to the Inflation Reduction Act.
The City of Columbus has contracted with two local energy suppliers on behalf of its residents and small businesses to provide them with competitively priced 100% Ohio-based clean energy. This initiative is expected to create 4,000 local jobs and reduce health-harming emissions by 4.4 metric tons - the equivalent of taking 300,000 cars off the road.
In summer 2024, Watts-Willowbrook Church of Christ in Compton, California, in collaboration with RE-volv and California Interfaith Power & Light (CIPL), celebrated the commissioning of their new 12-kW rooftop solar and upcoming battery storage installation. Known in the community as “The Brook,” the congregation is uniquely made up of over 100 people from three neighboring South Central LA communities: Compton, Watts, and Willowbrook.
Panasonic is building the world's largest electric vehicle manufacturing plant in De Soto, Kansas, which is set to begin production in the spring of 2025. In preparation for its launch, Panasonic partnered with Johnson Community College and Kansas City Community College to deveop an apprenticeship program that involves classes at the community college and on-the-job training. Once the program is completed, students will be among the first of the plant's expected 4,000 workers. As part of the program, Panasonic also paid for the students' tuition and the instructor's salary.
This program provides 0% interest loans that help low- and moderate-income homeowners rehabilitate their homes and provides grants to remove diseased trees and replant new trees to restore the urban canopy.