DOE Investing More Than $192M to Advance Battery Recycling Tech

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy is investing more than $192 million in a number of projects involving battery technology.

Initiatives covered by the funding will bolster the recycling of batteries used in consumer products, help launch an advanced battery research and development consortium, and continue the department’s Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Prize, which began in 2019. 

According to a department official, the demand for both electric vehicles and stationary energy storage will increase the lithium battery market by as much as tenfold by 2030.

As a result, they say that it is essential to invest in sustainable, reduced-cost recycling of consumer batteries in support of a secure, resilient and circular domestic supply chain for critical materials. 

“The United States is leading the way in developing advanced battery technologies that will power our clean energy future and boost our global competitiveness,” said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in a written statement. 

“These investments in battery production and recycling will ensure the U.S. has a secure and sustainable domestic supply chain and strengthens our economy,” she said.

As of April 2023, more than 3.6 million plug-in electric vehicles have been sold in America, with more than half of those sold since President Joe Biden took office. Battery costs have fallen more than 90% since 2008, and energy density and performance have increased rapidly.  

Through its $125 million consumer electronics battery recycling and reprocessing funding opportunity, the DOE says it hopes to develop and implement education and/or behavior change campaigns to increase participation by consumers in existing battery recycling programs.

The investment will also improve the economics of recycling consumer electronics batteries to spur greater market demand for battery recycling.

The program is also intended to assist states and local governments in establishing or enhancing battery collection, recycling and reprocessing programs, and help retailers implement programs to collect, sort, store and transport consumer electronics batteries.

The funding will be administered by DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office and Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains. Concept papers are due Aug. 17, while the deadline for full applications is Nov. 29. 

The Advanced Battery R&D Consortium funding opportunity will provide up to $60 million to convene major manufacturers of electric drive vehicles in the U.S., universities, National Laboratory partners, mineral and material suppliers, and other key battery stakeholders to address critical battery needs for the next phase of EV commercialization. 

The consortium seeks to advance battery R&D that is relevant and responsive to the needs of EV manufacturers, and to further develop a domestic battery supply chain and recycling capabilities that are essential to meeting the rapidly growing demand for EV batteries. 

The consortium will be integral to DOE’s efforts to develop advanced transportation technologies that will help decarbonize the transportation sector and significantly reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. 

Applications must include a community benefits plan that addresses how diversity, equity and inclusion objectives will be incorporated. Applications for this funding opportunity are due by Sept. 8. 

The Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Prize 

First launched in January 2019, the Battery Recycling Prize has to date awarded $5.5 million for innovative solutions to collecting, sorting, storing, and transporting spent and discarded lithium-ion batteries. 

In recognition of its ongoing importance in informing larger battery recycling efforts, the DOE is announcing $7.4 million to fund a new Breakthrough Contest, as well as Phase IV of the Prize. 

The Breakthrough Contest will incentivize the development of solutions that meet the overall Battery Recycling Prize goal. 

It is open to industry entrepreneurs — including new or former prize participants — and will bolster participation from new competitors while providing additional support to Phase III winning teams. Phase IV: Demonstration of Impact will challenge participants to prove how effectively their solutions contribute to moving spent or discarded batteries from consumers to recyclers across all commercial uses.  

The Battery Recycling Prize is intended to incentivize American entrepreneurs to develop and demonstrate technologies that, when scaled, have the potential to profitably capture 90% of all discarded or spent lithium-based batteries in the United States for recovery of key materials for reintroduction into the U.S. supply chain.

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue