The RECOVER program seeks to develop technologies to concentrate and recover high value energy materials from aqueous waste streams. Priority high value energy materials for the program are ammonia and metals considered critical to energy and diversifying the U.S. supply chain. Ammonia is produced using the Haber-Bosch process with a high energy and greenhouse gas penalty, and much of this ammonia ends up in municipal and animal waste streams where it is destroyed without recovery. Critical metals are obtained from ore mining and processing and are almost entirely sourced from overseas; their use in infrastructure and military technologies makes their supply a matter of national concern. Produced water and mining waste streams have sufficient amounts of key critical metals to displace all or most of U.S. imports.

The RECOVER program will enable the:

• replacement of 50% of conventional ammonia supplies, and all or partial critical metals imports,
• valorization of multiple high value energy materials from an aqueous waste stream,
• reduction of energy demands and CO2-equivalent (CO2eq) emissions for ammonia and critical metals procurement, and
• recovery of market-valuable products at competitive prices. Recovery of market-valuable products will create new revenue sources for aqueous waste stream processors, thereby reducing net costs and contributing to improved water treatment outcomes.

Relevant waste stream targets are municipal or animal feedlot waste streams, produced water waste streams, and mining waste streams. New technology development efforts under the RECOVER program include three technical categories:

1. new materials,
2. process development and derisking, and
3. process integration.

Capable technologies will be energy efficient, highly selective, and durable over extended use. Processes will involve limited sequential steps, be scalable, and be adaptable to existing or new wastewater facilities.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) opportunity can be found here.