Battery-maker A123 Systems is asking the Department of Energy for over $1.8 billion in loans to build U.S. manufacturing facilities. If you think you've already read this story, it might be because A123 is only the latest in a slew of lithium-ion companies to plead for government funds. In December, an alliance of battery firms announced plans to seek up to $2 billion from Congress, while newcomer EnerDel is hoping for $480 million from DOE.

A123 says their first facility would be built in Southeast Michigan, creating 14,000 jobs there. They were also able to snag supportive quotes from big names like GM, Chrysler, and John Kerry If you're confused by the last one, A123 was begat by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology*.

The company's CEO, David Vieau, isn't shy about throwing a little patriotism into the mix too: "This new facility would greatly accelerate this change and help ensure that the American economy replaces its dependence on foreign oil with reliance on advanced, homegrown batteries.”

So if you're keeping count, we definitely have a buzz word hat trick: Green Jobs. Energy Independence. Auto Industry. The Big Green Three, if you will.

At full production in 2013, A123 says they could provide batteries for up to 5 million hybrids or 1/2 million electrics per year.

*Of course, their MIT beginnings are undeniable once you know that company name, A123 is derived from the formula for "the Hamaker force constant which is used to calculate the attractive and repulsive forces between particles at nano dimensions".

See Also: A123 Systems Gets on the Grid

                  A123 Files to Go Public