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Press Release Date: |
Friday, July 31, 2009 |
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Contact Information: |
Jay Blanton |
From Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
FRANKFORT, Ky.—Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear today applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for approving $5 million in funding for a joint research and development project by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. The funding is for basic and applied research, development and engineering of advanced energy storage systems.
Earlier this year, Gov. Beshear and Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Len Peters announced the creation of the research and development collaboration between the two state universities and Argonne. Gov. Beshear says the $5 million, which is part of an appropriations measure for the Department of Defense (DOD), is a sign that Washington recognizes the importance of this type of research.
“Kentucky stands on the threshold of creating the nation’s first research and development facility that will focus solely on creating the technology for energy storage that can be used by electrically powered vehicles,” said Gov. Beshear. “I urge the U.S. Senate to support this funding and help make the United States a world leader in this technology. I am confident that, in fact, that world-class status will find a suitable home in Kentucky in the very near future.”
Currently, China and Japan are involved in similar research efforts. However, Sec. Peters said that having the support of Argonne National Laboratory will give the Kentucky project a significant boost.
“Argonne is the U.S. Department of Energy’s leading laboratory for this work, and we believe their presence in this collaboration will help us move quickly to find the solutions to the energy storage questions that many in the auto industry have today,” said Peters.
No date has been set for a vote in the Senate on the DOD appropriation. Talks are already underway to find a suitable location for the Kentucky R&D facility in Central Kentucky.
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