Biden–Harris Admin Announces $63 Million to Advance Battery Recycling & Smart Manufacturing

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Funding from the Investing in America Agenda is Spurring Partnerships with States and Native Governments to Help Modernization of the Manufacturing Sector and Enhance Battery Recycling

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In help of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agendathe U.S. Division of Vitality (DOE) in the present day introduced the provision of as much as $63 million to allow state and native governments to increase battery recycling and modernize American manufacturing by making innovative applied sciences like superior sensors and modeling extra accessible to small- and medium-sized producers (SMMs). Administered by DOE’s Workplace of Manufacturing and Vitality Provide Chains (MESC), this funding alternative advances next-generation instruments and assets to realize the Biden-Harris Administration’s bold aim of a net-zero economic system by 2050 and can assist revitalize and strengthen America’s international management in manufacturing.

“America’s revolutionary clean energy future requires a modernized manufacturing sector, and the Biden-Harris Administration is helping us get there,” mentioned U.S. Secretary of Vitality Jennifer M. Granholm. “The funding announced today will equip small- and medium-sized manufacturers with cutting edge technologies to improve operations efficiency and expand battery recycling, removing barriers to advancement and bolstering the nation’s competitive standing.”

Battery Recycling

Batteries energy our day by day lives. Accumulating spent batteries and recovering crucial minerals like cobalt, lithium and graphite from battery recycling is a value efficient and sustainable solution to supply home supplies to provide extra batteries. Working with states and native governments, this funding will create new recycling applications for recycling and assortment factors which are simply accessible to customers, whether or not at a retail location or a neighborhood website resembling a library.

This funding alternative consists of $41 million for the second section of $50 million in complete offered by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Regulation for state and native authorities battery recycling programming. Within the first section, DOE chosen battery recycling initiatives for negotiation which are anticipated to catalyze over $14.4 million in public/personal funding. This second section will increase state and native governments’ capability to help state-wide and native battery recycling applications. DOE is searching for initiatives in partnership with state and native governments to create new or improve current battery assortment, recycling, and reprocessing initiatives, with a further concentrate on consciousness, training, and neighborhood advantages.

Sensible Manufacturing

Along with working with state and native governments to reinforce battery assortment, DOE can also be partnering with states to modernize the home manufacturing sector by enhancing entry to innovative applied sciences.

Smart manufacturing refers to the usage of rising and superior applied sciences to extend the effectivity of the normal manufacturing course of. By adopting good manufacturing applied sciences, companies can decrease prices, improve vitality effectivity and efficiency, cut back materials demand, and enhance product high quality, making American companies extra aggressive in a worldwide market. Nonetheless, nearly all of SMMs presently don’t make use of good manufacturing or high-performance computing applied sciences, largely as a consequence of excessive upfront prices and lack of entry to coaching assets. By way of this program, DOE is working to shut that hole.

This funding alternative consists of $22 million in the direction of the second section of the $50 million complete State Manufacturing Leadership Program. Within the first section, DOE awarded 12 initiatives for states to increase or create applications that may finally help over 3,500 SMMs in implementing good manufacturing applied sciences and practices, together with accessing high-performance computing assets. Study extra about these 12 initiatives here. On this second section, DOE goals to increase this state-led help to succeed in much more SMMs. DOE seeks purposes that facilitate SMM entry to assets resembling technical help, coaching, facility assessments, apprenticeships, and direct monetary help to implement good manufacturing enhancements. Aggressive funding awards of as much as $2 million per mission to state entities can be remodeled an up-to three-year interval. Candidates can be required to offer a value share of a minimum of 23.1% of the award.

This program advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiativewhich units the aim that 40 % of the general advantages of sure federal investments in local weather, clear vitality, clear transportation, and different areas move to deprived communities which are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by air pollution. Initiatives beneath this funding alternative should additionally embody significant neighborhood and labor engagement, advance variety, fairness, inclusion, and accessibility; and put money into America’s workforce.

Learn the total funding alternative here. An informational webinar can be held on August 6, 2024, at 2:30 pm ET; register here. Idea papers are NOT required. Full purposes are due Monday, September 16, 2024 by 5:00pm ET.

Study extra concerning the MESC mission to catalyze investments in America’s vitality future in help of the re-shoring, skilling, and scaling of U.S. manufacturing throughout vitality provide chains.

Courtesy of US DOE.