Today, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Reducing EMbodied-Energy and Decreasing Emissions (REMADE) Manufacturing Institute announced approximately $35 million to support research and development (R&D) that will enable U.S. manufacturers to increase the recovery, recycling, reuse, and remanufacturing of plastics, metals, electronic waste, and fibers.

The funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is part of the Department’s Plastics Innovation Challenge, a comprehensive program to accelerate innovations in plastics recycling technologies. Drawing on both fundamental and applied research capabilities within National Labs, universities, and industry, the Plastics Innovation Challenge accelerates innovations that will dramatically reduce plastic waste in oceans and landfills and position the U.S as global leaders in advanced plastics recycling technologies.

“The Trump Administration is committed to advancing innovative reuse and remanufacturing technologies, including advanced plastic recycling technologies, and the development of new plastics that are recyclable by design,” said Mark W. Menezes, Deputy Secretary of Energy. “Through the Plastics Innovation Challenge, and in partnership with REMADE, DOE is proud to take part in the development of new technologies that strengthen the U.S. manufacturing ecosystem.”

REMADE is a part of Manufacturing USA®, a network of federally funded institutes working to increase U.S. manufacturing competitiveness and promote a robust and sustainable national manufacturing R&D infrastructure.

This RFP solicits proposals for projects in two areas:

Transformational Research & Development (R&D) Projects

Transformational R&D project proposals will demonstrate the potential to transform the recycling and remanufacturing industries through technological innovation.

Traditional R&D Projects

Traditional R&D projects will develop tools and technologies that are consistent with the research priorities in the REMADE Roadmap. Traditional R&D project proposals can cover all four material classes, including plastics.

REMADE envisions awarding approximately $35 million in support of these projects, with a minimum 50% cost share required from each team. REMADE Institute membership is not required. However, all final project team members (other than vendors and service providers) must be REMADE members at the time the project is awarded.

To further advance its mission, REMADE also announced the selections of more than $6 million for nine projects. The selected projects will improve the U.S. materials recycling or remanufacturing industry.   

View the RFP.  Letters of Intent and Project Abstracts are due September 14, 2020.

View the list of projects selected.

Founded in 2017, in partnership with DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), REMADE is the fifth institute funded by EERE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office. The REMADE Institute focuses on applied R&D that could dramatically reduce the energy consumption association with industrial-scale materials production and processing through reuse, recycling, and remanufacturing.

In 2019, DOE launched the Plastics Innovation Challenge, a comprehensive program to accelerate innovations in energy-efficient plastics recycling technologies. The REMADE Institute is uniquely positioned to address the major barriers to the recovery, recycling, remanufacturing, and the reuse of plastics and other materials such as metals, e-waste, and fibers.