ConocoPhillips, NREL and Iowa State University to Establish Research Alliance to Advance Biofuels Research
31 March 2008
ConocoPhillips and the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are forming a strategic research alliance with Iowa State University (ISU) to identify promising cellulosic biomass conversion technologies. The collaboration will bring three independently established programs together to help identify the most efficient and cost-effective methods for making liquid transportation fuels from plants.
The research collaboration will examine processes including gasification, pyrolysis and fermentation. The collaboration could lead to projects that could provide publicly available, peer-reviewed papers and models. Each party is providing its own time and resources and the collaboration is expected to produce an initial report by January 2009.
ConocoPhillips entered into a number of biofuel and synthetic fuel research partnerships in 2007:
An eight-year, $22.5 million research program at Iowa State University dedicated to developing technologies that produce biorenewable fuels. ConocoPhillips made an initial $1.5 million grant in 2007 to support Iowa State researchers, with additional grants of $3 million per year for seven years. (Earlier post.)
ConocoPhillips and Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) are collaborating on the development of renewable transportation fuels from biomass. The alliance will research and seek to commercialize two components of a next-generation biofuel production process: the conversion of biomass from crops, wood or switchgrass into biocrude, a non-fossil substance that can be processed into fuel; and the refining of biocrude to produce transportation fuel. (Earlier post.)
ConocoPhillips and Tyson Foods Inc. formed a strategic alliance to produce renewable diesel from the refinery-based processing of waste animal fat. The refinery-based process, developed by Conoco-Phillips, uses a proprietary thermal depolymerization technology, and processes animal fats with hydrocarbon feedstocks to produce a high-quality diesel fuel that is chemically equivalent to petroleum-derived diesel, and meets all federal standards for ultra low-sulfur diesel. (Earlier post.)
The US Department of Energy (DOE) and Conoco-Phillips are providing US$2.9 million in funding for a research effort by Louisiana State University, Clemson University and Oak Ridge National Laboratories to convert coal-derived syngas to ethanol. The coal-derived syngas will be produced using Conoco-Phillips’ EGAS technology. (Earlier post.)
If you look at Range Fuels announcement today 4/1/08, you might wonder why an eight year program for these methods? The syngas two step process seems to be working pretty well.
Posted by: gr | 01 April 2008 at 06:18 PM
"Range Fuels’ previously announced that it received a $76 million grant from the US Department of Energy and a grant of $6 million from the State of Georgia."
http://www.rangefuels.com/Range-Fuels-Raises-over-$100-Million-in-Series-B-Financing
These are grants, not loans nor loan guarantees. This is one private venture funded company. I wonder if any qualified group that wants to build a biomass gasification plant could get this grant.
The implication is that the grant is made with tax payer money because it is in the public good. So, that says to me that money should be available for others doing similar projects as well. I know there have been several DOE announcements of grants, but I do not recall grants to many companies for this. I am interested in the DOE decision making process.
Posted by: sjc | 02 April 2008 at 02:58 PM
sjc,
I suspect the DOE requested proposals for research or demonstration projects. Range Fuels, and the other participants, won the competition for these funds. DOE and commercial concerns have defined budgets for such work - but, of course, they are not limitless.
Posted by: shane | 04 April 2008 at 04:51 PM
Yes, but why Range and not Syntec or another company doing similar work. Who makes the decisions and based on what? Or is the "fix in" when it comes to who gets the gift? These decision making criteria are not published and since it is more than $70 million in tax payer dollars being giving away, the public should be allowed to know.
Posted by: sjc | 06 April 2008 at 04:29 PM
This is great information, I need to start a blog on my site and hopefully it will really help me get some better traffic!
-Philippine state university
Posted by: seo | 14 January 2009 at 10:16 PM