Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to visit Argonne National Lab, Hyzon Motors

WASHINGTON — Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm hits the Chicago area Monday with stops at Argonne National Laboratory and Hyzon Motors, which makes zero-emission vehicles, to highlight the Biden administration’s initiatives to combat climate change and spur development of clean energy.

Granholm, a former Michigan governor, made her first visit as energy secretary to the Chicago area in December, where, among other stops, she toured Fermilab in Batavia, the national particle physics and accelerator laboratory.

Argonne, in Lemont, and Fermilab are both U.S Department of Energy major research centers.

At Argonne, Granholm and U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Ill., will focus on the “future of electric vehicles, quantum computers, improved batteries, green energy and resilient materials for many uses,” and tour the new Long Beamline Building.

Foster has a doctorate in physics and previously worked at Fermilab as a high-energy physicist and particle accelerator designer. He is also a member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.

Granholm and Foster will then head to a Hyzon Motors facility in Bolingbrook, which is in Foster’s congressional district, for a tour and a roundtable. Hyzon makes zero-emission, hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles.

Foster and Granholm will also visit the Aurora STEAM Academy — STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. The academy, according to its website, provides “a free educational experience that aims to empower students and close the digital divide.”

Granholm will also be meeting with Illinois Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell, who oversees public safety, infrastructure, energy and environment; Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director John Kim; and other local officials.

On Tuesday at Argonne, Granholm will meet with her energy advisory board.