Politicians, auto industry leaders talk clean energy at Solid Power

LOUISVILLE — A bipartisan trio of high-profile Colorado politicians joined auto industry leaders Monday to discuss the future of the state’s clean energy economy and celebrate the completion of Solid Power Inc.’s all-solid-state battery manufacturing facility in Louisville.

“Solid Power is such a great example of how the technology of our clean energy sector is getting better each day, creating good jobs right here in Colorado and helping diversify our economy,” said Gov. Jared Polis, who was flanked Monday by 

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner and U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse.

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Solid Power, which operates a production and research space in Louisville’s Colorado Technology Center business park, was spun out of the University of Colorado in 2012 by Douglas Campbell and a group of CU professors.

“We’re as Colorado as it gets,” Campbell said.

The company produces all-solid-state batteries for electric vehicles that are safer and more energy efficient than industry standard Lithium-ion batteries. The company, which closed its first $26-million equity funding round in 2018, partners with major car companies such as Ford, BMW and Hyundai. Representatives of the firms were on hand for Monday’s discussion.

“We are really excited to showcase not only what we’re doing here at Solid Power but also the ecosystem here around the state of Colorado,” Campbell said.

The leadership of Colorado companies, including Solid Power, in the clean transportation economy is “a big frickin’ deal,” he added.

Operations such as Solid Power help “revolutionize our efforts to truly become a clean energy state with a clean energy future driven by these new technologies,” Gardner said.

Neguse, who has made combating climate change one of his signature issues in his campaign and early in his first term, noted that Boulder County has been on the forefront of clean energy technology and environmental protection. He tipped his cap to the local elected officials in attendance at Monday’s event.

“It’s incredibly inspiring seeing the innovation and ingenuity taking place here and at Solid Power,” he said. “This innovation is vital to our future as climate change, in my view, the existential threat of our time.”