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Jon King
Microgrids & energy storage | Auto industry General Manager | International experience | Hands-on manufacturing operations builder | Mandarin Chinese speaker
Jon King is the Vice President of Battery Services at RavenVolt. His LinkedIn profile indicates that he has a strong background in sustainable energy and advanced energy conversion, having completed a fellowship in Global Operations with relevant coursework in mechanical assemblies and fabrication technology.
In addition to his current role at RavenVolt, Jon King has a diverse professional history in technology and engineering, which includes various positions in data management and analytics, as well as experience in sales engineering and solutions architecture at several companies, including Imply and Qubole. His expertise spans across big data, engineering, and operations within the energy sector, making him a significant figure in the field of battery services and sustainable energy solutions.1
Highlights
https://lnkd.in/eEQkZwTH
𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮-𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱
The U.S. Trade Representative has announced updates to the China-focused Section 301 tariffs, including higher tariffs on lithium-ion batteries used in energy storage systems (BESS). The new tariff rate on “Lithium-ion non-electrical vehicle batteries” is 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟳.𝟱% 𝘁𝗼 𝟮𝟱%, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.
Here my initial thoughts on the impact this will have on energy storage projects in the U.S.
Please share your thoughts/predictions/reactions in the Comments!
1. Prices of battery containers have dropped by approximately one-third since 2022 H2. Buying activity was strong back then, when prices were +$200/kWh. Prices now are as low as $135-140/kWh. Adding back 17.5% takes prices back up to ~$165/kWh, assuming no additional price fluctuations between now and 2026. I don’t think this will have a significant negative impact on energy storage project investment activity in the U.S.
2. The start date of 2026 will likely cause some buyers to accelerate buying to make sure they import prior to 2026. If there is a rush to tie up 2024 H2 and 2025 production capacity, we may see an increase in lead time for battery containers. But there is a lot of overcapacity in the industry in China now, so I think the worst case scenario here is that buyers may be forced to buy from a newer Tier 2 manufacturer in 2025, rather than from their favored OEM, if getting delivery prior to 2026 is a priority. This may present problems with securing financing however, as banks and other cautious financers may be hesitant to fund projects where the batteries are manufactured by less-bankable OEMs.
3. Higher tariffs may cause some companies (including Chinese companies) to accelerate ramp-up of storage battery cell manufacturing in the U.S. (or conversion of EV cell factories to storage cell production). But this transition is already largely underway, so I’m not sure how much impact the higher tariff rate will have on companies’ plans.
4. Solar cell tariffs are going up from 25% to 50% this year. There are already many non-Chinese sources for modules, but most PV cells still come from China. If this tariff slows PV project investment in the U.S., that could have a knock-on effect for BESS investment in areas where it is often paired with PV (e.g., California?).
5. The current import duty on energy storage battery containers from China is ~11%, not 7.5%. I’m not completely sure how that relates to the stated current 7.5%, but I assume 7.5% is for the battery cells, while 11% is for containerized products (due to Chinese steel or other content with higher duty rates). So, the tariff rate in 2026 for the battery containers typically imported from China may be more like 28.5%, up from the current 11%. Still a 17.5% delta.
https://lnkd.in/g4FzXgq8
Our parent company, ABM Industries, a 100+ year old facilities services company that is also the largest commercial EV infrastructure installer in North America, is opening an EV-charging testing and training facility next door to us here at RavenVolt HQ in Atlanta. We are excited to collaborate on the #microgrids and #batterystorage that will enable the build-out of the U.S.'s EV charging infrastructure.
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Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
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Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
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Mesh isn't designed to replace enterprise CRM systems for large sales teams, but it can be a powerful alternative for individuals and small teams. Many people use Mesh instead of Salesforce, Hubspot, and Pipedrive. Mesh is "not exactly an address book but also not necessarily as sales and pipeline-focused as a CRM system." The founders refer to their app as a "home for your people," carving out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. For solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small teams focused on relationship quality rather than sales pipelines, Mesh can absolutely serve as your primary relationship management tool.
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