<div dir="ltr"><img src="cid:ii_lt37fx1t0" alt="image.png" width="196" height="75" style="margin-right: 0px;"><div><br></div><div><font color="#6aa84f"><font size="4">Here is an opportunity to boost collection of used consumer batteries at retailers.  Passing along this information to our network in case someone is in the position to use this money to increase battery collection in Oklahoma. </font></font><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div style="margin-bottom:18.75pt"><div><p style="margin-top:0in"><strong><span lang="EN" style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Funding Notice</span></strong><span lang="EN"> - February 20, 2024<u></u><u></u></span></p><h1 style="margin-right:0in;margin-left:0in;font-size:24pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><a name="m_-4334075679628768553_doe-announces-15-million-to-boost-collec"></a><span lang="EN">DOE Announces $15 Million to Boost Collection of Used (Spent) Consumer Batteries at Retailers<u></u><u></u></span></h1><p style="margin-top:0in"><span lang="EN">The U.S. Department of Energy’s <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmVuZXJneS5nb3YvbWVzYy9vZmZpY2UtbWFudWZhY3R1cmluZy1hbmQtZW5lcmd5LXN1cHBseS1jaGFpbnM_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMC45MDQ5NjMyMSJ9.oNGYKBuNyJ61aWN-_YLYHq9rYiGowNrGjj_rUJ00NeE/s/3076797974/br/237374121736-l" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:rgb(0,102,153);text-decoration-line:none">Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains</span></b></a> (MESC) today announced it is making up to $15 million available through President Biden’s Investing in America <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LndoaXRlaG91c2UuZ292L2ludmVzdC8_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMC45MDQ5NjMyMSJ9.YGua5my43cnkQn_IVQ96To4nkp3Nt5GNigo7Yq4Iz8I/s/3076797974/br/237374121736-l" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:rgb(0,102,153);text-decoration-line:none">agenda</span></b></a> to drive recovery of spent consumer batteries at retailers that can be sent to recyclers. Recycling spent batteries provides our domestic industry with additional sources of necessary materials to make new batteries or other products. Not only does recycling provide a diverse and robust material source, but the circularity of these materials builds a more sustainable manufacturing supply chain and reduces waste streams from manufacturing.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-top:0in"><span lang="EN">Batteries power our daily lives from consumer electronics to national defense and enable the electrification of the transportation sector and provide stationary grid storage. With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), DOE is investing across the supply chain from research to manufacturing to collecting the batteries at end-of-life and helping to build domestic recycling network for batteries that contain critical elements such as Nickel, Lithium, Cobalt, Manganese, Copper, and Graphite. Many of these materials are in use today in consumer electronics with rechargeable batteries such as cell phones, laptops, vacuum cleaners, and smart watches.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-top:0in"><span lang="EN">Retailers can play a vital role in making recycling accessible and easy for consumers. As sellers of batteries, retailers are top-of-mind for consumers. Once batteries are no longer usable, consumers need places to deposit their spent batteries. Retailer store fronts visited by consumers are prime locations for battery collection. Collection points can also serve as an incentive for consumers to visit store fronts.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-top:0in"><span lang="EN">DOE is seeking projects led by retailers to create or expand to collect, sort, store, and transport consumer electronics batteries and battery-containing devices. Learn more about this funding opportunity <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmVuZXJneS5nb3YvbWVzYy9mdW5kaW5nP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAyMjAuOTA0OTYzMjEifQ.coWvLxK-cavqFLUP7MrRxRnoCEVw3RYnDHhSb4bIPzI/s/3076797974/br/237374121736-l" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:rgb(0,102,153);text-decoration-line:none">here</span></b></a>. An informational webinar will be held on February 22, 2024 at 3:30 pm ET, <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZG9lLndlYmV4LmNvbS93ZWJsaW5rL3JlZ2lzdGVyL3JmNzNmMGFlNTk2MTNiMzVhYzU0NTQyOTBlZGJmMmYwNz91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIwLjkwNDk2MzIxIn0.vukMPcvAb4wV9AlmT18GhHGv6witYcmZy2-8FqkbdOM/s/3076797974/br/237374121736-l" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:rgb(0,102,153);text-decoration-line:none">register here</span></b></a>. Applications are due on April 9, 2024, at 5 p.m. ET.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-top:0in"><span lang="EN">Learn more about the <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmVuZXJneS5nb3YvbWVzYy9vZmZpY2UtbWFudWZhY3R1cmluZy1hbmQtZW5lcmd5LXN1cHBseS1jaGFpbnM_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5IiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDI0MDIyMC45MDQ5NjMyMSJ9.MtRhY3Torki1h61jeoBb-q9vlGtggOGKMRwUdCUHMnA/s/3076797974/br/237374121736-l" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:rgb(0,102,153);text-decoration-line:none">MESC</span></b></a> mission to catalyze investments in America’s energy future in support of the re-shoring, skilling, and scaling of U.S. manufacturing across energy supply chains.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-top:0in"><span lang="EN"><a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZG9lLndlYmV4LmNvbS93ZWJsaW5rL3JlZ2lzdGVyL3JmNzNmMGFlNTk2MTNiMzVhYzU0NTQyOTBlZGJmMmYwNz91dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIwLjkwNDk2MzIxIn0.38hO9BhN7imB0igns2RGh6csEoV1GWVEWDmszKpZ3l4/s/3076797974/br/237374121736-l" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,102,153);text-decoration-line:none">Register for Webinar On February 22, 2024 at 3:30 pm ET</span></strong></a><u></u><u></u></span></p><h1 style="margin-right:0in;margin-left:0in;font-size:24pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><a name="m_-4334075679628768553_sign-up-for-mesc-updates-2"></a><span lang="EN">Sign up for MESC Updates<u></u><u></u></span></h1><p style="margin-top:0in"><span lang="EN">Learn more about clean energy programs and projects, upcoming funding opportunities, and requests for information.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-top:0in"><span lang="EN"><a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vcHVibGljLmdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5LmNvbS9hY2NvdW50cy9VU0RPRU1FU0Mvc3Vic2NyaWJlci9uZXciLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwMjIwLjkwNDk2MzIxIn0.gE5yL0UQ9BHbK5dT5-pFsm6qUlIVeINZhvLmJ_vOQTQ/s/3076797974/br/237374121736-l" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,102,153);text-decoration-line:none">Subscribe</span></strong></a><u></u><u></u></span></p></div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span lang="EN" style="color:rgb(102,102,102)"><hr size="1" width="100%" align="center"></span></div><p><span lang="EN" style="color:rgb(102,102,102)"><a href="https://cleancities-forum.nrel.gov/t/icymi-doe-announces-15-million-to-boost-collection-of-used-spent-consumer-batteries-at-retailers/1475/1" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:white;border:3pt solid rgb(47,112,172);padding:0in;background:rgb(47,112,172);text-decoration-line:none">Visit Message</span></b></a> or reply to this email to respond to <a href="https://cleancities-forum.nrel.gov/g/coalitions" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102);text-decoration-line:none">Coalitions, Headquarters, Regional Managers, and Lab Staff (341)</span></b></a>, <a href="https://cleancities-forum.nrel.gov/u/sandra.loi" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102);text-decoration-line:none">sandra.loi</span></b></a>.<u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN" style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">To unsubscribe from these emails, <a href="https://cleancities-forum.nrel.gov/email/unsubscribe/5dd97f1f847025bb5c50ebc615680e7d60511b4d6f3b775f3101749c262870d7" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102);text-decoration-line:none">click here</span></b></a>.</span></p></div></div></div></div>