The US Dept. of Energy recently opened $41 million in funding to boost county battery recycling operations.
Late last week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) opened $41 million in grants to enable state and local governments to expand battery recycling. Administered by DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC), this funding opportunity advances next-generation tools and resources to achieve the federal government’s ambitious goal of a net-zero economy by 2050.
Batteries power our daily lives. Collecting spent batteries and recovering critical minerals like cobalt, lithium, and graphite from battery recycling is a cost-effective and sustainable way to source domestic materials to produce more batteries. Working with states and local governments, this funding will create new recycling programs for recycling and collection points that are easily accessible to consumers, whether at a retail location or a community site such as a library.
This funding opportunity includes $41 million for the second phase of $50 million in total provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for state and local government battery recycling programming. In the first phase, DOE selected battery recycling projects for negotiation that are expected to catalyze over $14.4 million in public/private investment. This second phase will boost state and local governments’ ability to support state-wide and local battery recycling programs. DOE is seeking projects in partnership with state and local governments to create new or enhance existing battery collection, recycling, and reprocessing projects, with an additional focus on awareness, education, and community benefits.
Read the full funding opportunity here. An informational webinar will be held on August 6, 2024, at 2:30 pm ET; register here. Concept papers are NOT required. Full applications are due Monday, September 16, 2024 by 5:00pm ET.
