A123 Systems

Energy Storage Alive and Well: A123 Not Dead

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To borrow a phrase from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”, we are not dead yet. The media has picked up on the A123 Systems Chapter 11 filing and has extrapolated it to mean that somehow energy storage is another failed Department of Energy (DOE) technology. In fact, the industry feels fine.

First, A123 is not dead; they are restructuring and continue operations. They also have 90 megawatts of energy storage up and running worldwide with a number of other projects in process. Roland Berger just released a report on the projected market for lithium ion batteries and the top five players included the likes of LG, Panasonic, Sanyo-and A123 Systems. Recognizing this opportunity, a number of suitors have lined up in a bidding war for A123, which the bankruptcy judge called “the popular girl at the dance.” Not exactly demise. Keep reading →

 /  Published October 19, 2012 at 3:45 PM

Defending The Stimulus On Energy Job Creation

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The scale of unemployment in the US makes each individual job seem less impactful than the proverbial drop in the bucket, but each individual story of a job gained still carries emotional weight well beyond the economic gains.

At least that’s the hope in this unusually personal and emotional video from the US Energy Department, posted two weeks ago on its Youtube channel as new job numbers showed a renewed slowing in an economy where growth failed to meaningfully pick up after the 2008 financial crisis despite unprecedented amounts of government stimulus. Keep reading →

 /  Published September 26, 2011 at 6:00 AM