BINGHAMTON, NY — A proposed battery manufacturing hub in the Southern Tier is in the final stretch for funding from the National Science Foundation.

U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (NY-19) wrote to Sethuramen Panchanathan, director of the National Science Foundation, asking him is to approve SUNY Binghamton’s application for $160 million in federal funding to create the hub.

The New Energy New York project, a coalition of academic, nonprofit, and government organizations dedicated to growing battery production in the Southern Tier, is a finalist for this funding.

In the letter, Molinaro emphasized the school’s expertise in battery technology and highlighted the economic and security implications of the initiative.  

"The battery industry is becoming increasingly critical to our nation’s infrastructure. The number of homes, devices, and vehicles being powered by batteries are on the rise," he wrote. "By supporting New Energy New York, our nation will be better able to support the domestic battery industry while also supporting renewable clean energy technologies... The battery industry is valued at $30 billion and is rapidly growing."