REMADE Announces $19.6 Million in New Technology Research to Accelerate the U.S.’s Transition to a Circular Economy - Institute Selects 14 Projects in Latest Round of Funding

The REMADE Institute is pleased to announce today that it has awarded $19.6 million in new technology research, selecting 14 new research, development and demonstration projects as part of the Institute’s latest round of funding.

Half of the projects involve research at the demonstration phase, responding directly to the nation’s need to meet multiple U.S. energy, environmental, and economic goals.

"These projects underscore the importance of manufacturing and materials innovations toward advancing a circular economy," said Dr. Christopher Saldaña, Director of DOE’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO). "The partnership between DOE and the REMADE Institute serves as a conduit for catalyzing transformative practices that not only bolster America's manufacturing expertise but also accentuate our nation's commitment to environmental stewardship."

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, manufacturing accounts for 25% of U.S. energy consumption at a cost of approximately $150 billion. Based on data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, industry is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the nation, at 30%.

REMADE Chief Executive Officer Nabil Nasr said these are just some of the main reasons why a circular approach to manufacturing — “make-use-reuse-remanufacture-recycle” — is so important, and why REMADE is dedicated to the adoption of a Circular Economy.

“A Circular Economy is imperative,” Nasr said. “It’s critical in reducing industry’s energy consumption and emissions in the race to net-zero by 2050. At the same time, a circular approach is vital to increasing U.S. manufacturing’s competitiveness, increasing the resiliency of the nation’s supply chain, and creating new clean economy jobs.”

REMADE Chief Technology Officer Magdi Azer said the Institute’s research seeks to increase circularity for four energy-intensive material classes: metals, plastics/polymers, fibers, and electronic scrap, or e-scrap.

“REMADE’s projects address multiple aspects of the Circular Economy, including systems analysis, circular design, remanufacturing and reuse, recovery and recycling,” Azer said. “These latest R&D projects will, for example, explore better ways to remanufacture cast iron components; remove contaminants from molten aluminum scrap; convert the midsoles of used shoes into a newer, more sustainable foam for footwear; develop machine learning tools to advance the sorting of textiles, design recyclable multilayer flexible packaging; and increase machine learning tools to better determine the state-of-health for used hybrid and electric vehicle batteries.”  

For more detailed information, read the full press release at the button below. A list of all REMADE R&D projects and their descriptions, including the 14 projects announced today, can be found at the “Research” button below.

Five Takeaways From The "How-To" Conference That's Accelerating The Circular Economy

Our first REMADE Circular Economy Tech Summit & Conference recently brought together the brightest minds in research, industry, and policy to make the Circular Economy a reality in the United States. Here are five key takeaways from our two-day event held March 20-21 at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, D.C.:

• Nice ideas aren’t enough

• Carrots and (measuring) sticks are needed

• Decision-makers need the right tools for the job

• Remember: Trash is cash

• The robots are here—to improve recycling and remanufacturing

Click below for a deeper dive into each takeaway.

REMADE Releases New Funding - Up to $20 Million in Funding to Accelerate the Transition to a Circular Economy

The REMADE Institute is proud to announce its sixth Request for Proposals (RFP), representing $20 million in investment to sustain U.S. manufacturing and accelerate the U.S.’s transition to a Circular Economy.

The Institute is seeking technology proposals for research, development and demonstration (RD&D) projects that develop and demonstrate tools and technologies consistent with REMADE’s goals to reduce energy and emissions; achieve better than cost and energy parity; and promote the widespread application of new enabling technologies across multiple industries. RD&D projects must align with one or more of the Institute’s focus areas: systems analysis and integration; design for reuse, remanufacturing, recovery and recycling (design for Re-X); manufacturing materials optimization; remanufacturing; and/or recovery and recycling.

2022 REMADE Member Meeting Adjourns

REMADE members nationwide were cordially invited and encouraged to join us at the Institute's Annual Member Meeting this fall - our first in-person gathering in three years!

During the event, members heard insights from renowned keynote speakers, explored emerging technologies, discussed industry trends, heard the latest innovation updates from project teams, and learned more about the Institute's newest education and workforce development offerings. 

Member Meeting is exclusive to REMADE Members.

Not A Member? Click Here to Learn More About Membership

Video Replays, Event Photos, and Project Posters are Now Available to Members Only

Latest Impact Report Released!

This report covers the critical focus areas the REMADE Institute is addressing to advance our nation in sustainable manufacturing and highlights the accomplishments of the institute and our members.

The REMADE Institute is proud of the collaborative effort of our members and would like to thank all who made it possible.

Celebrating 150 REMADE Members

REMADE is proud to announce that we’ve reached our newest milestone—150 members!

We want to extend our warmest welcome to our new members and also want to extend our deepest gratitude to all of those who have joined the Institute over the years, including many who have been with us since the beginning.

REMADE is proud to work with all of you as we develop technologies capable of addressing industry's impact on climate change, reducing energy consumption, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving resources, increasing U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, and creating clean economy jobs.

Together, we can accelerate the nation's transition to a Circular Economy. 

REMADE Announces Request For Information to Turbocharge the U.S.’s Transition to a Circular Economy

REMADE Announces Request For Information to Turbocharge the U.S.’s Transition to a Circular Economy

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Jan. 21, 2022 — The REMADE Institute, a 141-member public-private partnership established by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) with an initial investment of $140 million, today issued a Request for Information (RFI) to further accelerate the U.S.’s transition to a Circular Economy.

Responses to REMADE’s RFI will inform revisions to the Institute’s technology roadmap, which is currently focused on reducing the use of raw and virgin, or primary, materials; increasing remanufacturing and the use and supply of recycled, or secondary, materials; and fostering circular innovations. The RFI will also address REMADE’s sustainability strategy, including developing Circular Economy approaches that will help address climate change economy-wide.

At the recent U.N. climate conference, COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland, experts from across the globe — including REMADE members, partners and stakeholders — discussed Circular Economy solutions to achieve net-zero by 2050. REMADE CEO Nabil Nasr said the Institute’s RFI is a natural next step.

“Over the last five years, REMADE has invested or allocated more than $85.6 million to develop innovative technologies to reduce energy consumption and decrease carbon emissions,” Nasr said. “Given REMADE’s projected impacts so far, it’s important to see how we can further accelerate the U.S.’s transition to a Circular Economy — to turbocharge it.”

The connection between industrial development and climate change is significant. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, manufacturing accounts for 25% of U.S. energy consumption at a cost of approximately $150 billion. Based on data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, industry is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the nation at 30%.

This is why a circular approach to manufacturing — “make-use-reuse-remanufacture-recycle” — is so important, Nasr said.

“If we don’t reduce industrial energy consumption and industrial emissions, research shows we will only get a little more than halfway to net-zero by 2050, about 55% of the way,” he said. “A Circular Economy approach to how we manufacture and use everyday products can help us get all the way to net-zero.”

REMADE Chief Technology Officer Magdi Azer says the Institute has focused its efforts and investment dollars on increasing the reuse, remanufacturing, recovery and recycling of four energy-intensive material classes: metals, plastics/polymers, fibers, and electronic waste (e-waste). In addition to seeking feedback regarding these current activities, the RFI asks where REMADE should focus its efforts relative to electric vehicles (EV) and photovoltaic (PV) solar power as part of the Institute’s future planning.

“Having invested in a suite of technologies to increase the reuse, remanufacturing, recovery and recycling of metals, polymers, fibers and e-waste, REMADE is evaluating how to proactively respond to megatrends such as climate change, resource scarcity, and technological breakthroughs in its research agenda,” Azer said. “The RFI will assist us in answering these questions.”

Those interested in learning more can read the detailed RFI here. Innovators and researchers with industry, academia, government, and the non-profit sector who are interested and involved in the nation’s transition to a Circular Economy are especially encouraged to respond. Responses can be submitted in either short-form or long-form.

For details on REMADE’s 2020 Technology Roadmap, review the Institute’s roadmap here.

• REMADE, part of the nation’s Manufacturing USA® network of 16 advanced manufacturing institutes, and its members are developing technology solutions that are capable of:

• Saving more than 1 Quad of energy per year, which is the equivalent of conserving more than 180 million barrels of oil a year

• Reducing 50 million metric tons per year in greenhouse gas emissions, which is the equivalent of eliminating the annual emissions of 11.5 million cars

• Increasing the supply and use of recycled materials by more than 40 million metric tons per year

• Creating up to 700,000 direct and indirect jobs, enhancing the U.S. economy and increasing the nation’s competitiveness

Responses to REMADE’s RFI are due by 5 pm ET on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022.

About REMADE

Founded in 2017, REMADE is a 141-member public-private partnership established by the U.S. Department of Energy with an initial investment of $140 million. REMADE is the only national institute focused entirely on the development of innovative technologies to accelerate the U.S.’s transition to a Circular Economy. In partnership with industry, academia, and national laboratories, REMADE enables early-stage applied research and development that will create jobs, dramatically reduce embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions, and increase the supply and use of recycled materials. The cumulative, five-year embodied energy savings, greenhouse gas reduction, and increase in recycled materials use expected to result from REMADE’s investment is approximately 1 Quad of energy, about 50 million metric tons of CO2equivalent greenhouse gas reduction, and more than a 40 million metric tons per year increase in the supply and use of recycled materials, respectively. For additional information about REMADE, visit www.remadeinstitute.org.

For additional information, contact:

Megan Connor Murphy

Director, Marketing and Communications

REMADE Institute

585-213-1036 office

585-339-8379 cell

mconnormurphy@remadeinstitute.org

The Power of a Technology Portfolio: Films & Flexibles Packaging

The Power of a Technology Portfolio: Films & Flexibles Packaging

Films and flexibles packaging is one the fastest growing packaging types, is not readily recyclable, and currently contaminates the U.S.’s curbside recycling system. REMADE is exploring ways to make films and flexibles fully recyclable. 

According to the Recycling Partnership, a REMADE member, film & flexible packaging is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 3%. Today, much of this material is sent to landfills. And even in places where it’s collected, much of it is lost.

REMADE has multiple R&D projects working to address films and flexibles, including projects focused on optimization, collection and separation. Our current portfolio of films and flexibles projects – conducted in partnership with Unilever, Michigan Tech and others - is capable of saving up to 50 petajoules of embodied energy annually, up to 2 million metric tons of materials savings per year, and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 2 million metric tons annually.

For more information, read our 2020 Impact Report here.

The Power of a Technology Portfolio: Electronic Waste Recycling & Reuse

The Power of a Technology Portfolio: Electronic Waste Recycling & Reuse

Americans generated 6.9 MMT of electronic waste in 2019, recycling only 15% of that amount. E-waste can result in serious harm to human health and the environment, so REMADE is working to increase the recycling rates of electronics. Recovering e-waste’s precious metals also reduces dependence on finite raw materials and increases the resiliency of the US supply chain.

According to EE Times, a well-regarded industry publication, many electronic parts or products are remanufactured, including consumer products such as smartphones and PCs. The global market is estimated at $80 billion, and demand has surged during the COVID pandemic. This is good news, but REMADE knows more can be done.

The Institute has multiple e-waste R&D projects working to increase recycling rates and recover high value metals, including those focused on collection, condition assessment, and exploring the recovery of copper and other precious metals from e-waste.

Our current portfolio of e-waste R&D projects – conducted in partnership with Caterpillar, RIT and others - is capable of saving up to 27 petajoules of embodied energy per year, up to 200,000 metric tons of materials savings annually, and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 1.8 million metric tons per year.

For more information, read our 2020 Impact Report here.

The Power of a Technology Portfolio: Paper & Cardboard Packaging

The Power of a Technology Portfolio: Paper & Cardboard Packaging

In our current US curbside recycling system, paper and cardboard are frequently contaminated, resulting in more than 17.2 million tons, or 25%, of MSW paper and paperboard being landfilled. REMADE is working to remove contaminants and increase recycling rates.

According to the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), a REMADE member, manufacturing paper and paperboard with recycled materials uses up to 68% less energy than using virgin materials.

REMADE has multiple R&D projects working to address paper and cardboard recycling challenges, including those focused on systems analysis, manufacturing and contamination removal, collection, and separation and recycling.

Our current portfolio of paper and carboard projects – conducted in partnership with MIT, the American Forest & Paper Association, and more - is capable of saving up to 150 petajoules in embodied energy annually, up to 8 million metric tons in material savings per year, and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 8 million metric tons per year.

For more information, read our 2020 Impact Report here.

The Power of a Technology Portfolio: Heavy-Duty Off-Road Remanufacturing

The Power of a Technology Portfolio: Heavy-Duty Off-Road Remanufacturing

The U.S. is the largest remanufacturer in the world, supporting 180,000 full-time jobs and generating nearly $12 billion in exports. Heavy-duty off-road equipment is one of the most reman-intensive sectors. REMADE seeks to increase reman intensity in the heavy-duty off-road sector, creating even more jobs and more exports.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme’s International Resource Panel report, “Re-defining Value – The Manufacturing Revolution,” the lead author of which is REMADE CEO Nabil Nasr, buying a remanufactured product or service part can save 90% of the energy compared to buying a new part.

REMADE has multiple heavy-duty off-road remanufacturing R&D projects working to increase reman intensity in the sector, creating jobs and increasing exports. These include projects focused on design, inspection and condition assessment, and repair/restoration.

Our current portfolio of reman R&D projects in the sector is capable of saving up to 50 petajoules of embodied energy annually, up to 1 million metric tons in materials savings per year, and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 2.5 million metric tons annually.

For more information, read our 2020 Impact Report here.

REMADE Announces New Deadline for Education and Workforce Development Proposals

The REMADE Institute is pleased to announce a new, extended deadline for Education and Workforce Development (EWD) projects as part of the organization's fifth Request for Proposals. Letters of Intent and Project Abstracts for EWD projects are now due by 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 1, two weeks from today. The original due date was June 3.

"REMADE and our partners are committed to addressing knowledge gaps and training incumbent and emerging workers as the U.S.'s transition to a Circular Economy accelerates," said Nabil Nasr, CEO of REMADE, a $140 million public-private partnership established by the U.S. Department of Energy. "In addition, our workforce initiatives increase U.S. manufacturing competitiveness and ensure that our nation's researchers, engineers, technicians and others stay on the cutting edge."

REMADE issued its latest RFP last month, representing $50 million in available funding, including $1 million for Education and Workforce Development proposals. These EWD projects must develop short courses to educate, train, and develop incumbent workers in reuse, remanufacturing, recovery, and recycling. EWD topics include:

• Advanced Materials Separation Technologies

• Chemical Recycling of Plastics

• Simulation Techniques to Optimize Material Use in Manufacturing and Recycling

• Condition Assessment for Remanufacturing

• Reverse Logistics for Remanufacturing

• Cleaning for Remanufacturing

• Design for Remanufacturing, Recycling, and/or Re-Use

• Systems Thinking in Material Management: Benefits and Tools

Companies, universities and organizations that have workforce development projects that might align with the EWD section of REMADE's RFP can read the detailed RFP here.

Efforts are ongoing worldwide to move from today's linear economy, where we take-make-dispose, to a Circular Economy, where we make-use-reuse-remanufacture-recycle. Conserving resources, reducing energy consumption, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, and increasing U.S. competitiveness are major components of that transformation. Within a five-year period, REMADE is developing solutions that are capable of:

• Saving 1 Quad of energy, which equates to the electrical use by all U.S. households per year

• A 20% decrease in U.S. manufacturing's GHG emissions in metals, polymers/plastics, fibers and e-waste

• Increasing the supply and use of recycled materials by more than 40 million metric tons per year

• Creating up to 700,000 direct and indirect jobs, enhancing the U.S. economy and increasing the nation's manufacturing competitiveness

For more information on the EWD section of REMADE's RFP, read the detailed RFP here. For details on the Institute's 2020 EWD Roadmap, which is guiding the RFP, review the roadmap here.

Please note that letters of intent and project abstracts for the RFP's transformational research, development and demonstration, as well as traditional research and development submissions are closed as of June 3.

A National Manufacturing Guard: Building a More Resilient U.S. Manufacturing Base

In response to the dramatic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on US manufacturing, including the challenges uncovered related to the security and responsiveness of manufacturing supply chains in our country, the CEOs of all 15 Manufacturing USA Institutes have created a decisive set of strategies and recommendations, including calling for the creation of a National Manufacturing Guard. The Resilient Manufacturing Task Force Act, introduced in July by US Senators Coons and Rubio and US Representatives Stevens and Balderson, similarly addresses these challenges and seeks to “reinforce the US Supply Chain against future disruptions”. 

COVID-19 Response & Recovery

Under the Institutes’ leadership, preeminent manufacturers in critical medical, food and consumer goods supply chains are contributing with leading technology providers and national political leaders on these efforts. Their input helped shape the creation of four specific initiatives that will enable us to learn from the recent past and ensure we’re aggressively working towards a much more resilient supply chain and manufacturing base in the future.

1. The formation of a National Manufacturing Guard: Agile realignment of supply chains, particularly in a crisis, is not an easy task. Readiness planning and training for this eventuality can make an enormous difference. We make the analogy to the National Guard’s readiness to defend our country to propose a national Manufacturing Guard. This group would be comprised of leading corporate experts in manufacturing and production, and they would train annually for agile and effective response during a crisis to mitigate scenarios that threaten supply chains and impede immediate availability and access to necessary products across the country. The participants will be our nation’s experts in resilient supply chains, and they will be poised to help our nation deploy the material and human resources it needs when faced with a crisis.

2. The establishment of a National Supply Chain Data Exchange: The Supply Chain Data Exchange infrastructure would enable a secure, end-to-end data backbone for real time visibility and the mitigation tools necessary to support the resilient production of critical products needed during supply chain disruptions. Supporting the Manufacturing Guard in their mission to ensure the reliable access to critical supplies, this initiative will accelerate the creation of U.S. common infrastructure, solutions, data models, data engineering and integration required to ensure that U.S. small, mid-size and large multinational companies are strongly equipped to offer resilient, proactive and digitally transparent supply chains. The exchange optimizes the usage of critical resources as a universal open platform enabling secure, standardized, end-to-end exchange and visibility of shareable supply chain intelligence and real time data with desired partners, including: inventory and location, safety stock, emergency impact to companies/locations; identification of bottlenecks in resource flow; and, proactive testing of resiliency and weaknesses. The Supply Chain Data Exchange will also serve as a platform to understand and map critical gaps in U.S. manufacturing capabilities and infrastructure, identify critical feed stock limitations across various sectors, and to improve existing or design new manufacturing networks that afford greater domestic control over strategically important supply chains.

3. The formation of a Technology Corps: The Technology Corps will ensure Americans can be rapidly educated on emerging advanced manufacturing technologies. The Technology Corps will establish a workforce pipeline to respond to national security needs and will be a pipeline into the national Manufacturing Guard, providing individuals who will have worked with industry leaders and understand the importance of keeping our manufacturing capabilities up to date and safe. The Technology Corps will accelerate opportunities for the 33 million Americans between the ages of 18-24 with a 21st century skills gateway to enable transitions to higher education, military service, national service, or entry into the workforce. It will also provide opportunities to learn and work at defense and other government agencies expand the use of apprenticeships to high-tech and high-skill fields.

4. A Resilient Manufacturing Advisory Council: A Resilient Manufacturing Task Force is required to convene and develop a plan to create the national Manufacturing Guard, the Supply Chain Data Exchange, and the Technology Corps. The Task Force will also be able to begin mapping critical gaps in the supply chains across sectors and identify opportunities to refine current, and design new, technologies for an optimized system design. The Task Force, comprised of leading experts in supply chain and manufacturing technologies representing various stakeholder groups including the Manufacturing USA institutes and their members, will frame and prioritize key issues around policy, operations, oversight, and incentives for participation in the Manufacturing Guard, Supply Chain Data Exchange, and Technology Corps. The Task Force will issue recommendations and discuss the need for a Resilient Manufacturing Advisory Council to help oversee and coordinate these activities moving forward to ensure a more resilient and flexible manufacturing infrastructure for the nation.

Objectives

As we recover from the current crisis, and prepare for the possibility of the next, it is well past time to think about our security and competitiveness as linked to our manufacturing, supply chain, and workforce capabilities. Through the formation of the National Manufacturing Guard, we will strive to meet the following objectives:

• Resilient, agile, secure manufacturing base

• Enhanced economic security

• A national network of prepared manufacturing industry experts across sectors ready to react when needed

• A partnership that brings industry’s capabilities to address national needs

• A secure supply chain powered by real-time supply/demand signals

• Visibility into supply chain gaps at the national level during crises

• Career pathways to high-value jobs and national service opportunities

• Opportunities for individuals from underserved communities to gain advanced manufacturing skills