The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) plans to invest substantially in critical mineral research projects to bolster energy security and strengthen supply chains. This investment is expected to reinforce the domestic supply chain for critical minerals and position the United States as a leader in the energy transition era.
The DOE announced on Tuesday that it will allocate $17 million to 14 projects. These funds will support research to enhance manufacturing capabilities for cutting-edge technologies, including hydrogen fuel cells, high-efficiency motor magnets, high-performance lithium-ion batteries, and high-yield, low-defect power electronic devices.
This initiative will span 11 states across the U.S., supporting small-scale demonstrations focused on key materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, rare earth elements, platinum group elements, silicon carbide, copper, and graphite.
The project is anticipated to mitigate risks associated with critical material innovations and accelerate their commercial applications.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm stated that the Department of Energy is reducing the reliance on foreign supply chains through innovative solutions that tap into domestic sources of critical materials needed for next-generation technologies.
“These investments—part of our industrial strategy—will keep America’s growing manufacturing industry competitive while delivering economic benefits to communities nationwide,” she said.
The DOE aims to enhance collaboration across the entire research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) pipeline for critical materials through this project.
Specifically, the department plans to coordinate communication between government agencies and project stakeholders through its Critical Materials Collaborative (CMC).
Launched last year in response to the increasing need for a centralized body to oversee critical materials, the CMC aims to facilitate funding for an innovation ecosystem focused on critical materials research in the U.S. and accelerate the development of domestic critical material supply chains.
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