U.S. Department of Energy Grant

Our company has a long history as a leader in lead battery recycling innovation. Now, we’re taking our research even deeper, with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. As one of seven grant recipients, we’re sharing $2 million in federal funding on projects meant to advance the national energy innovation agenda.

Leading the effort at Gopher Resource are employees Dr. Joseph Grogan, vice president of research and development, and Dr. Alexandra Anderson, the project’s principle investigator.

Powerful Partnerships

To secure the grant, we partnered with Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN, with assistance from Gas Technology Institute of Des Plaines, IL. The collaboration with Oak Ridge, in particular, is an exciting first for the lead battery industry. We’re leveraging the National Laboratories’ high-performance computing capabilities to push the current boundaries of productivity and energy efficiency for secondary lead furnaces.

“This project has the potential to significantly increase efficiency … resulting in a reduction of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions,” Dr. Anderson stated. She is responsible for managing Gopher Resource’s energy utilization program for the reverberatory furnace, within our overall furnace productivity portfolio.

New Discoveries in Energy Storage

We’re optimistic that new discoveries will allow major lead battery recyclers, like Gopher Resource, to supply even more high-quality, low-cost lead to advanced lead battery manufacturers. In turn, the new lead batteries will help meet the nation’s rapidly growing demand for energy storage.

Brian Leen, CEO of Gopher Resource, said the grant recognizes Gopher Resource as a leader in innovation and supports its ongoing quest to maximize the efficiency and productivity of lead battery recycling. 

“The important work by our R&D team, led by Dr. Joe Grogan, is a critical component in the country’s energy future. Advances in the safety, productivity and sustainability of the recycling process resulting from this work are important for our industry and our customers.”