USDA, DOE to Provide Up To $25M for Biomass Research and Development
30 January 2009
The US Departments of Energy (DOE) and Agriculture (USDA) will provide up to $25 million in funding for research and development of technologies and processes to produce biofuels, bioenergy, and high-value bio-based products, subject to annual appropriations.
USDA and DOE are issuing a joint funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for several types of projects aimed at increasing the availability of alternative renewable fuels and bio-based products. The projects will aim to create a diverse group of economically and environmentally sustainable sources of renewable biomass. Advanced biofuels produced from these types of sources are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum of 50%.
The FOA will fund projects in the following three technical areas specified in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act (FCEA) of 2008:
- Feedstocks development;
- Biofuels and bio-based products development; and,
- Biofuels development analysis.
Award amounts are planned to range from $1 million to up to $5 million with project periods up to four years, subject to annual appropriations. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, national laboratories, federal research agencies, state research agencies, private sector entities, non-profit organizations, or a consortium of two or more of those entities.
These projects will be among many Obama Administration investments that will help strengthen our economy and address the climate crisis. A robust biofuels industry—focused on the next generation of biofuels—is critical to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing our addiction to foreign oil and putting Americans back to work
—Secretary of Energy Steven Chu
The FOA will be available online at www.grants.gov. The closing date for pre-applications is 6 March 2009, which must be submitted electronically. A minimum recipient cost-share of at least 20% of total project cost for research and development projects and 50% of total project cost for demonstration projects is required.
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