U.S. Department of Energy Solicits Feedback on Its Plan To Increase Products and Materials Circularity

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) today released a request for information (RFI) seeking input from stakeholders on its draft strategic framework on circularity for secure and sustainable products and materials. The framework identifies opportunities and challenges to use circularity to decarbonize industry, secure supply chains, benefit communities, and create jobs. It includes an overview of current efforts across EERE, as well as future focus areas for investment. 

The linear way the United States and the world has traditionally approached extracting resources, manufacturing products, and then discarding them is environmentally destructive and economically irresponsible. Advancing products and materials circularity, which involves minimizing life cycle environmental impacts through recirculation of products and materials in the economy, helps the United States improve material efficiency, increase supply chain security and resilience, and reduce energy demand related to raw material extraction and manufacturing processes.

“Increasing products and materials circularity will enhance our U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, strengthen our supply chain security, and provide direct economic benefits to local communities,” said Jeff Marootian, principal deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy at DOE. “This strategic framework aims to catalyze the necessary technological advancements that will accelerate these efforts across the economy.”

EERE seeks input across industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders on issues related to products and materials circularity.

Specifically, EERE is interested in feedback on: 

• Framework for prioritization of research and development and technology advancement to target highest impact opportunities for decarbonization, supply chain security, community benefits, and manufacturing competitiveness.
• Significant opportunities, challenges, and enablers to increase products and materials circularity.
• Opportunities to connect to business models and the policy landscape to accelerate the deployment of advanced technologies for greater impact.
• Data and analysis that informs prioritization and measurement of progress.

By providing an overview of current EERE efforts as well as a framework for prioritizing future investment related to advancing products and materials circularity, EERE aims to increase stakeholder awareness, engagement, and alignment that will ultimately drive national-level impacts.

Responses to the RFI must be submitted electronically to [email protected] no later than 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 16, 2024. 

View the full RFI.