The Department of Energy (DOE) is set to invest $33 million in smart manufacturing technologies that will bolster the transition to clean energy, as part of the Biden administration’s commitment to high-tech manufacturing in the clean energy sector.
DOE’s Commitment to Clean Energy
The DOE has announced a $33 million funding initiative aimed at supporting smart manufacturing technologies that can expedite the transition to clean energy. This move is part of the Biden administration’s broader strategy to enhance high-tech manufacturing within the clean energy sector.
The funding will be allocated to smart manufacturing related to four primary areas: circular supply chains, tooling and equipment for sustainable transportation, high-performance materials such as high conductivity components like nickel and copper, and sustainable mining.
The Circular Supply Chain Initiative
A significant aspect of this initiative is the advancement of circular supply chains, which aim to establish a closed-loop system that minimizes waste. The DOE plans to use this funding to develop superior identification and sorting mechanisms for materials that can be recycled into new products.
Additionally, the DOE aims to improve “interoperable and open supply chains” to facilitate the repair or remanufacturing of goods not initially designed for reuse or repurposing. The agency has been increasingly focusing on circularity as a means to promote clean energy.
The Timeline and Future Plans
Concept papers for the funding are due by August 22, with complete applications required by November 18. The DOE anticipates starting to award applicants by next spring.
Over the past year and a half, the agency has announced $700 million in funding for clean energy manufacturing and to reduce industrial emissions. This is in addition to the $6 billion the agency rolled out in March 2023 to accelerate decarbonization projects in the country’s top polluting manufacturing sectors.
The $33 million in funding also aims to enhance sustainable tooling and equipment for transportation-related manufacturing, aligning with the Biden administration’s efforts to reduce emissions in the transportation sector, guided by its National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization.
The Department of Energy’s investment of $33 million in smart manufacturing technologies is a crucial step towards achieving clean energy objectives. Through funding initiatives focusing on circular supply chains and sustainable practices, the DOE is paving the way for a more environmentally friendly manufacturing sector. This commitment aligns with the Biden administration’s goals of decarbonizing high-tech manufacturing and reducing emissions in the transportation industry. With these efforts, the transition to clean energy smart manufacturing is well underway.
