The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

Biden wants to create millions of clean-energy jobs. China and Europe are way ahead of him.

Battery production is key to building a green-energy workforce, but without more government support, the United States may miss out

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February 11, 2021 at 5:58 p.m. EST
Battery start-up Solid Power in Louisville, Colo., has built a limited manufacturing line to churn out solid-state batteries for further testing. (Chet Strange for The Washington Post)

As the Biden administration promises to jump-start the clean-energy economy, it faces an uphill climb: The United States has fallen behind Asia and Europe in the race to produce the central technology — the high-tech batteries that power electric cars and store solar and wind energy.

China dominates battery production today, with 93 “gigafactories” that manufacture lithium-ion battery cells, vs. only four in the United States, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, a prominent data provider. If current trends continue, China is projected to have 140 gigafactories by 2030, while Europe will have 17 and the United States, just 10.