The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) announced investments of $500 million in a series of projects aimed at expanding critical mineral and material processing, battery manufacturing, and recycling capacity in the U.S.
The new investments follows announced plans last year by the DOE of plans to provide nearly $1 billion in funding to bolster the production and supply of U.S.-based critical minerals and materials, with more than half to be channeled towards battery materials processing, manufacturing and recycling.
According to the DOE, the funding programs align with President Trump’s Executive Order, “Unleashing American Energy,” which aims to strengthen America’s domestic critical minerals and materials supply chains, reduce reliance on foreign sources, bolster national security, and advance American energy dominance.
While Trump’s energy policies have shifted sharply towards fossil fuels and away from renewables, and the DOE’s announcement focused on the development of domestic supply chains, support for critical materials and minerals will also benefit energy transition and cleantech-focused sectors.
With the new announcement, the DOE said that seven projects were selected for the $500 million investment. Selected projects include a facility in the Southeastern U.S. that refines black mass from end‑of‑life lithium‑ion batteries and manufacturing scrap into high‑purity metals and battery‑grade materials by Nth Cycle, a new planned demonstration facility in Georgia to recover and rejuvenate nickel‑containing cathode material from battery manufacturing scrap using a low‑temperature plasma process by Princeton NuEnergy, and the construction of a facility in the U.S. Gulf Coast to produce battery‑grade ethylene carbonate, a key ingredient in lithium‑ion battery electrolytes by Arcanum Ventures.
Audrey Robertson, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Energy, said:
“DOE is taking decisive action to secure the critical supply chains necessary to power our nation. These projects underscore DOE’s commitment to driving innovation, reducing reliance on foreign sources, and promoting American energy dominance.”
