On March 12, 2025, ADEME opened the ORMAT 2025 call for projects under its Circular Economy Fund. The scheme funds investments related to recycling, the production of recycled raw materials, and their integration into new products.

The stakes go beyond environmental concerns. ORMAT 2025 aims to strengthen France's pre-sorting, preparation and regeneration capacities while improving the quality of recycled raw materials, known as RRM. The call also covers the reallocation, refurbishment and remanufacturing of batteries.

The scheme funds projects that reduce the use of virgin materials in finished or semi-finished products. It covers waste pre-sorting and preparation, RRM production, their integration into industrial processes, and battery reallocation and remanufacturing.

Eligible operations fall into two tracks. The first funds studies, diagnostics and experiments: feasibility studies, technical audits, resource and outlet inventories, and initial trials incorporating RRM. The second targets industrial investments, including new optical sorting and separation capacity, upgrades to regeneration lines, and quality control and traceability for RRM output.

For batteries, the call specifically covers infrastructure related to preparation, reallocation and regeneration.

ORMAT 2025 targets six material categories: plastics, textiles, metals and batteries, wood, paper and cardboard, and glass and mineral materials. This broad scope allows funding across several industrial chains, from flow preparation through to their return into production.

The scheme excludes projects limited to collection and multi-material pre-sorting, which are considered upstream logistics activities. Energy or organic recovery, reuse alone without a link to a recycling process, and applications aimed solely at mandatory regulatory compliance are also not eligible.

Some mature streams, such as PET bottles in mainland France, fall outside the scope as well. Projects located in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur must apply directly to the Region.

The call is open to the entire recycling chain. Preparers can apply for pre-sorting projects after collection, recyclers and regenerators for RRM production, and processors for incorporating recycled materials or refurbishing batteries. Producers placing goods on the market may also be eligible under certain conditions, provided they belong to an eco-organization and justify their approach under extended producer responsibility.

For studies and experiments, funding rates range from 60% for large companies to 80% for small ones, with caps set at €50,000 for a diagnostic and €100,000 for a study or experiment.

For industrial investments, rates range from 40% to 60% depending on company size. Caps then depend on the material category: around €1.2 million for plastics, textiles, wood, paper and cardboard, up to €3 million for metals and batteries. Glass and mineral materials benefit from even higher caps. A bonus also applies in France's overseas territories and Corsica.

Applications remain open from March 12 to October 6, 2025. Project leaders must submit a complete technical and financial file before the deadline, including elements to assess costs, environmental impact and industrial feasibility.

A strong application highlights the environmental gain per euro of funding, through indicators such as tons of CO2 avoided or tons of RRM produced. Industrial feasibility must be demonstrated with a recommended technology readiness level of at least 8, and both supply and outlets must be secured through contracts or letters of intent.

The quality of the RRM produced also factors into the evaluation, as does the project's contribution to national decarbonization and reindustrialization goals.

The ORMAT 2025 call for projects is available at agir.ademe.fr.