The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) was never quite clear on why it allowed a Texas subsidiary of a Chinese-owned battery manufacturer to qualify as a grant applicant, even after the company’s links to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were revealed during the department’s own vetting process.
The DOE was equally opaque in curtly announcing on the evening of May 22 that it had reversed its decision and that Microvast Holdings is no longer qualified to apply and negotiate for grants under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
“As responsible stewards of American taxpayer dollars, the Department of Energy maintains a rigorous review process prior to the release of any awarded funds, and it is not uncommon for entities selected to participate in award negotiations under a DOE competitive funding opportunity to not ultimately receive an award,” the DOE said in a May 21 statement that left more questions than answers….