Mar 23 -- This is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on behalf of the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Office (AMMTO). Its purpose is to solicit feedback from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders on issues related to the key opportunities and challenges associated with increased material circularity. AMMTO is specifically interested in information on:
-- Challenges and opportunities of transitioning from a linear to a circular economy [16 Qs]
-- Life Cycle Databases and tools used in generating Environmental Product Declarations [9 Qs]
-- Prizes to incentivize innovation and reduce demand for virgin materials [9 Qs]
-- Potential for electronic waste (e-waste) to be a viable source of critical materials and associated barriers. [14 Qs]
Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically to CircularEconomyRFI@ee.doe.gov no later than 5:00pm (ET) on May 1, 2023.
The AMMTO was established to focus on accelerating innovation in the manufacturing sector and supporting a domestic clean energy technology manufacturing economy. The mission of AMMTO is to advance energy-related materials and manufacturing technologies to increase domestic competitiveness and build a clean, decarbonized economy. AMMTO programs support research, development, and demonstration of next-generation materials and innovative manufacturing technologies that enable more efficient use and domestic production of clean energy technologies.
The Secure and Sustainable Materials Program within AMMTO is intended to ensure secure and sustainable supply chains for the clean economy. The program funds research, development, and demonstration to advance the circular economy for a broad range of materials through material and product design, recycling technology development, and reverse supply chain logistics. The program also includes a critical minerals and materials portfolio that addresses high-impact opportunities and challenges across the entire life cycle of high priority critical minerals and materials for energy technologies. Material circularity aims to minimize waste and maximize the re-use of materials to maximize the amount of material re-entering the economy at the end of life for a product. For example, re-using or recycling extends the lifetime of materials in the economy.
RFI:
https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaId7dea0291-67ec-46cf-9767-6f85e6cc93f7
