DOE grants emphasize battery materials recycling

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has announced plans to issue notices of funding opportunities of nearly $1 billion tied to the domestic supply of critical minerals and materials supply chains, with more than half the total targeted toward recycling.

Of the $1 billion potentially to be allocated, $500 million will be available through the federal Battery Materials Processing and Battery Manufacturing and Recycling Grant program.

The Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) will be funded to issue notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) of up to $500 million to expand U.S. critical mineral and materials processing and derivative battery manufacturing and recycling.

“The proposed funding opportunity supports demonstration and/or commercial facilities processing, recycling or utilizing for manufacturing critical materials which may include traditional battery minerals such as lithium, graphite, nickel, copper [and] aluminum, as well as other minerals that are contained within commercially available batteries, such as rare earth elements (REEs)," the DOE says.

Those awarded a grant will do so understanding there is a cost share requirement of at least 50 percent to be borne by the recipient, according to the DOE.

The MESC also has been assigned to issue a NOFO of up to $135 million to enhance domestic supply chains for REEs by demonstrating the commercial viability of methods for domestically refining and recovering REEs from mine tailings, deleterious material and waste streams.

Those grants require an academic partner and also carry a cost share requirement of at least 50 percent.

The funding will be issued in accordance with President Donald Trump’s “Unleashing American Energy” executive order.

“For too long, the U.S. has relied on foreign actors to supply and process the critical materials that are essential to modern life and our national security,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright says. “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, the Energy Department will play a leading role in reshoring the processing of critical materials and expanding our domestic supply of these indispensable resources.”