Energy
Battery Industry Hit by Tariffs Plans $100 Billion US Investment
An employee installs the batteries of an electric bus in Lancaster, California.
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Energy storage companies have committed to spending $100 billion this decade to expand US battery manufacturing, a trade group reported, as President Donald Trump’s tariffs on China threaten to stunt the industry’s growth.
Power companies have been adding large-scale batteries to the US electric grid at a rapid pace, both to prevent blackouts and store excess renewable energy for when it’s needed. But most of the batteries are imported, with 69% of lithium-ion imports coming from China. Chinese batteries now face a 155.9% tariff, according to BloombergNEF, potentially delaying some projects and forcing the cancellation of others.