Summary
- Phase 2 winners of the Re-X Before Recycling Prize announced with each receiving $150,000 in cash
- Phase 3 now open to returning competitors with submissions due by Dec. 8, 2025
- Competition aims to extend product lifetimes via reusing, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, or repurposing
- DOE’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office leads the prize to promote circular economy approaches
- Innovations from the prize will reduce life cycle energy and emissions, strengthen circular supply chains, and decrease the demand for virgin materials
Article
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) announced the Phase 2 winners of the Re-X Before Recycling Prize, a competition aimed at identifying innovative ways to extend the lifetimes of products or parts through reusing, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, or repurposing before recycling. Ten teams received a collective $1.5 million in cash and technical assistance to further develop their projects. The goal of the competition is to reduce life cycle energy and emissions, strengthen circular supply chains, and decrease the demand for virgin materials. Winners of Phase 2 now have the opportunity to put their plans into action to advance the circular economy in the U.S.
Phase 3 of the Re-X Before Recycling Prize is now open to returning competitors. During this phase, participants will demonstrate substantial progress towards implementing their innovations in a viable Re-X supply chain, while also building ecosystem partnerships through community engagement and developing an actionable plan to continue their project beyond the prize period. Submissions for Phase 3 are due by December 8, 2025. The competition aims to stimulate private investment in circular economy approaches, reduce life cycle energy and emissions, strengthen circular supply chains, and decrease the demand for virgin materials by promoting the reuse and repair of products before recycling.
The Re-X Before Recycling Prize was launched by the U.S. Department of Energy in November 2023 with the goal of developing innovative ways to extend the lifetimes of products or parts through reusing, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, or repurposing before recycling. By encouraging new ideas and private investment in circular economy approaches, the prize aims to reduce life cycle energy and emissions, strengthen circular supply chains for clean energy technologies, and decrease the demand for virgin materials. The competition is led by DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) and managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Innovations that enable new or expanded Re-X supply chains have the potential to engage communities and labor, advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and support the implementation of initiatives such as the White House Justice40 Initiative. The competition aligns with the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 by promoting sustainable practices in manufacturing and supply chains. Competitors will work towards implementing their projects in viable Re-X supply chains, while also fostering community engagement and partnerships to ensure the lasting impact of their innovations beyond the competition period.
Participants in the Re-X Before Recycling Prize have the opportunity to receive cash prizes and technical assistance from national laboratories to advance their projects. The competition aims to accelerate the adoption of circular economy practices, reduce environmental burdens, create jobs, and strengthen regional manufacturing supply chains. By fostering innovation in reusing, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, and repurposing products before recycling, the prize contributes to building a more sustainable and resilient economy. The ongoing efforts of competitors in the Re-X Before Recycling Prize will play a key role in driving the cleantech revolution and accelerating the transition to a greener future.
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