As part of the Biden-Harris administration’s Investing in America initiative, the Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a conditional commitment for a $670.6 million loan to Aspen Aerogels to construct an aerogel manufacturing facility in Register, Georgia.
The facility will produce PyroThin aerogel thermal barriers used in electric vehicle (EV) batteries, contributing to enhanced battery safety and meeting future electric vehicle (EV) demand.
The project is expected to create 550 construction jobs and 255 permanent positions, providing an economic boost to the region. Once fully operational, the facility will supply enough thermal barriers for over two million EV batteries annually, reducing emissions equivalent to removing over 5,000 internal combustion engine vehicles from the road each year.
This expansion in North America supports the administration’s goals of strengthening the domestic EV supply chain and reducing reliance on foreign suppliers.
Aspen’s PyroThin thermal barriers offer protection against thermal runaway events in EV batteries, helping manufacturers meet stringent safety standards like the recently implemented FMVSS 305A. Demand for these barriers is anticipated to grow as the US and Europe tighten thermal safety regulations for EV batteries.
The project aligns with the Biden-Harris administration’s Justice40 Initiative by locating the facility in a disadvantaged community identified by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool. Aspen Aerogels is committed to hiring local residents, focusing on union labor and partnerships with local institutions for workforce development and training.
If the loan is finalized, it will be issued through the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) Loan Program, which supports US production of advanced technology vehicles and their components in line with the administration’s goal of zero-emissions vehicles by 2030.
Filed Under: Technology News