The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a $5.5 million investment in six projects aimed at advancing processes to produce and refine critical minerals and materials domestically. This funding, part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, seeks to reduce reliance on foreign sources by developing technologies that use predominantly domestic supplies.

"Building a clean energy and industrial economy requires strategically tapping into our nation’s own reliable domestic resources to meet this demand and strengthen energy security," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. "We are investing in alternative products that will be developed using more abundant and accessible materials, reducing our import dependency while lowering costs, increasing U.S. competitiveness, and enhancing our national security."

The DOE's announcement comes as the U.S. Geological Survey reports that over 95% of the country's demand for rare earth elements is met by foreign sources, with more than 50% of most critical minerals also sourced from abroad.

The funding opportunity announcement (FOA), titled “Critical Material Innovation, Efficiency, and Alternatives,” aims to build a sustainable domestic supply of critical minerals from various sources including recycled materials and mine waste. The FOA will provide up to $150 million over several project selection rounds.

The six projects selected for negotiation focus on new or improved alternative energy technologies or designs using critical minerals more abundant in the United States:

- CorePower Magnetics (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) plans to develop a high-performance rare earth element-free electric motor.

- Giner, Inc. (Auburndale, Massachusetts) aims to create lower-cost rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles using domestically available supplies.

- Ohio University (Athens, Ohio) intends to develop coal-derived hard carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteries.

- Semplastics (Oviedo, Florida) plans to use low-cost coal feedstocks for anode active products in lithium-ion batteries.

- University of Tennessee (Knoxville, Tennessee) focuses on developing rechargeable alkaline-manganese dioxide batteries.

- Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, Massachusetts) aims to convert nickel-lean polycrystal cathode materials into nickel-rich single crystal cathode materials.

These projects required Community Benefits Plans as part of their applications to demonstrate engagement with local communities and benefits such as job creation and support for disadvantaged communities under the Justice40 Initiative.

DOE’s selections are subject to environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act review process. The DOE reserves the right to terminate award negotiations at any time.

Since January 2021, DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management has committed an estimated $171 million for projects supporting critical minerals exploration and processing across traditional mining communities in the country.

For more information about these initiatives and ongoing work in carbon management technologies, visit the FECM website or sign up for news announcements from the National Energy Technology Laboratory.

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