U.S. DOE Publicizes $15 Million to Enhance Assortment of Used (Spent) Shopper Batteries at Retailers

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The U.S. Division of Vitality’s Workplace of Manufacturing and Vitality Provide Chains (MESC) at present introduced it’s making as much as $15 million accessible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to drive restoration of spent shopper batteries at retailers that may be despatched to recyclers. Recycling spent batteries gives our home business with further sources of vital supplies to make new batteries or different merchandise. Not solely does recycling present a various and sturdy materials supply, however the circularity of those supplies builds a extra sustainable manufacturing provide chain and reduces waste streams from manufacturing.

Batteries energy our day by day lives from shopper electronics to nationwide protection and allow the electrification of the transportation sector and supply stationary grid storage. With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Regulation (BIL), DOE is investing throughout the provision chain from analysis to manufacturing to gathering the batteries at end-of-life and serving to to construct home recycling community for batteries that include crucial parts reminiscent of Nickel, Lithium, Cobalt, Manganese, Copper, and Graphite. Many of those supplies are in use at present in shopper electronics with rechargeable batteries reminiscent of cell telephones, laptops, vacuum cleaners, and sensible watches.

Retailers can play an important position in making recycling accessible and simple for customers. As sellers of batteries, retailers are top-of-mind for customers. As soon as batteries are not usable, customers want locations to deposit their spent batteries. Retailer retailer fronts visited by customers are prime places for battery assortment. Assortment factors can even function an incentive for customers to go to retailer fronts.

DOE is searching for initiatives led by retailers to create or develop to gather, kind, retailer, and transport shopper electronics batteries and battery-containing units. Study extra about this funding alternative right here. An informational webinar will likely be held on February 22, 2024 at 3:30 pm ET, register right here. Purposes are due on April 9, 2024, at 5 p.m. ET.

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

Register for Webinar On February 22, 2024 at 3:30 pm ET.