Realize Energy-rich Compound Opportunities Valorizing Extraction from Refuse waters SBIR/STTR (RECOVER SBIR/STTR)
This grant funds technologies to recover valuable energy materials like ammonia and critical metals from wastewater, aiming to boost U.S. supply, cut energy use by 30%, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70%.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has archived this opportunity.
Funder: Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E)
Due Dates: December 31, 2024 (Concept Paper) | August 28, 2025 (Full Application)
Funding Amounts: Awards from $1.5M–$4M each; total program funding up to $40M; 10–16 awards anticipated; up to 3-year project duration.
Summary: Supports SBIR/STTR projects to develop technologies for recovering high-value energy materials (e.g., ammonia, critical metals) from domestic aqueous waste streams to enhance U.S. energy security and reduce emissions.
Key Information: Indirect cost reimbursement is capped at 15% of total project costs; no cost sharing required; small businesses only.
Description
This funding opportunity from ARPA-E (DOE) seeks innovative Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects under the RECOVER program. The goal is to develop transformative technologies that can concentrate and recover high-value energy materials—such as ammonia, phosphorus (when co-captured), critical metals (including rare earth elements), and other strategically important compounds—from various aqueous waste streams.
The program aims to:
- Replace a significant portion of U.S. ammonia and critical metal imports with domestically sourced, recovered materials.
- Enable a 30% reduction in energy demand and a 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional production.
- Create new revenue streams for waste processors and improve water treatment economics.
- Advance scalable, energy-efficient, and selective recovery technologies adaptable to real-world waste streams.
Projects are expected to address technical challenges in selectivity, durability, fouling resistance, and process integration, and must demonstrate commercial viability for recovered products.
