Assessment of ARPA-E Energy Storage Program: Capability and Capacity to Solve Battery Waste Issues

Mila A. Lubeck ()
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Mila A. Lubeck: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

Circular Economy and Sustainability, 2025, vol. 5, issue 5, 3825-3864

Abstract: Abstract Society today relies on batteries to power our devices, electric vehicles, and at growing rates grid-scale energy. As the demand for batteries increases so does the amount of waste produced. The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) has tried to tackle the battery waste issue through its energy storage program with a project called Catalyzing Innovative Research for Circular Use of Long-Lived Advanced Rechargeable (CIRCULAR). The program intends to introduce Electric Vehicle (EV) battery technology with longer lifespans and driving ranges to a circular supply chain. They also want to integrate an EV battery health monitor into the circular supply chain practices. The program intends to determine the ability of the project to commercialize at scale through analytics. This article notes previous ARPA-E efforts to solve the battery waste issue through a circular supply chain and develops a proposed innovation policy framework for a circular battery economy. This framework is separated into five categories which identify emerging technologies and create a system of federally funded waste and recycling sites. We propose integrating support mechanisms and using neoclassical economic tools to induce innovation. Also, we recommend collaborating with the appropriate agencies for the creation, continuation, and oversight of facilities. Lastly, we will include technology transfer of emerging technology for testing and validation upon hand-off. The article utilizes the proposed framework to guide policy recommendations and contribute one possible solution for the battery waste issue through a national system of transport and collection for material recovery, reuse, and cascaded use.

Keywords: ARPA-E; Circular economy; Battery; Innovation policy; DARPA model; Energy storage; Electric vehicle; Health monitor (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s43615-025-00590-8

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