Binghamton on its Way to Becoming Battery Hub of United States

In a press release on Friday, United States Senator Chuck Schumer announced that Binghamton will receive $63.7 million in federal funds for cutting-edge battery research and manufacturing.

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The funds were awarded to Binghamton University for their New Energy New York proposal seeking to make the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes a national hub for battery research and manufacturing.

Senator Schumer stated "Broome County was once the global home to innovation, as the birthplace of IBM, flight simulation and virtual reality, and this project will breath new life into that legacy, showing the world what I have long known, that Binghamton and Upstate New York workers can lead the effort to bring manufacturing back to America, and take us into the future."

Binghamton University was one of the largest recipients of the federal funding award, getting $63.7 million of the possible $65 million maximum.

Batteries are an essential growth field in the tech industry as society becomes more and more reliant on technology to carry out daily business. Just recently Bob Joseph of WNBF reported the start of lithium ion batteries at iM3NY in Endicott, making it North America's only home-grown battery gigafactory.

Binghamton University's proposal would create the Battery-NY Center in the Southern Tier, and bring battery manufacturing back to the United States to decrease dependence on foreign sources for battery technology.

Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger stated "With this win, and with the tremendous financial support from New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, we are confident we can turn the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions off New York into the national hub for battery innovation, manufacturing and workforce development."

This project has the potential to drastically change the Binghamton area by heavily investing in the growing technology field and opening the door for more tech companies to open up shop in the Southern Tier, potentially bringing thousands of quality jobs to the area.