Illinois incentives bolster battery, solar manufacturing growth

REV Illinois provides tax credits to businesses that will support the development and growth of electric vehicles and other products essential to the renewable energy sector.

Illinois’ state incentives are paying off. Battery and electric vehicle manufacturers are continuing to move or expand production in Illinois, with several new announcements made this summer.

A 100% solar-powered manufacturing plant for solar and EV components opened in an underserved area of Southern Illinois this week, bolstered by a $4.6 million clean-energy state-incentive package.

Manner Polymers will produce all of the electricity it uses, said the company’s CEO Raj Bhargava.

“Our objective is to build the lowest cost, highest quality, most environmentally sustainable flexible PVC compounding plant in the world,” Bhargava said.

The Manner Polymers manufacturing facility was bolstered by the Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) incentive package, while Manner Polymers invested $54 million to support the facility’s construction.

REV Illinois provides tax credits to businesses that will support the development and growth of electric vehicles and other products essential to the renewable energy sector. Illinois provides additional benefits through REV for clean energy and advanced manufacturing investments made in underserved or energy transition areas.

“Manner Polymers plant will help maximize the manufacturing potential and accelerate the clean energy revolution that is taking place,” Gov. JB Pritzker said at the facility’s ribbon cutting. “These are gains that are going to be felt by the state of Illinois in a variety of sectors.”

At the ribbon cutting, Gov. Pritzker thanked Republican Sen. Dale Fowler for helping to bring business to the state.

Richardson’s Electronics

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who attended the facility’s ribbon cutting, also recently announced the another REV Illinois investment, with which Richardson Electronics will invest $8.5 million to research, develop and produce next-generation battery energy storage technologies at the company’s Illinois manufacturing facility.

As part of the state’s incentive package, Richardson Electronics was awarded a $8.6 million REV Illinois tax credit for their capital investment and commitment to job creation. In addition to targeting 54 new jobs, the REV agreement also specifies the retention of 190 jobs for the entirety of the four-year agreement period.

According to Pritzker’s office, Richardson Electronics’ decision to expand their operations within Illinois builds upon the numerous manufacturing companies that have also recently chosen to establish or expand their business in the state.

Pure Lithium 

In July, Illinois awarded Pure Lithium with $4.4 million in REV incentives for investing $46 million to move from Boston to Chicago. After completing its initial start-up phase in Boston, the entire operation is relocating to Illinois and expanding to include production and manufacturing.

Pure Lithium said the move puts it closer to Argonne National Laboratory. Pure Lithium and Argonne are currently collaborating on a project to scale lithium metal anode production using recycled lithium metal, with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Pure Lithium said its investment will enable the company to manufacture the first commercially viable lithium metal battery in Illinois, with plans to target the drone and defense, consumer electronics, grid-scale energy storage systems and electric vehicle markets, while supporting the state’s clean energy economy.

After exploring options in different cities and states, Pure Lithium said it decided Illinois provides the best opportunities to achieve its goal of commercialization.

The REV Illinois incentive also supported electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian and lithium-battery manufacturer Gotion to locate to Illinois.

More information on the REV Illinois incentive program is available here.