The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced $59 million to accelerate the production of biofuels and bioproducts to reduce emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sectors. (DE-FOA-0002638) Marine and aviation sectors require higher energy densities to avoid frequent stops to refuel for long flights, international shipping routes, and cross-country rail routes, making these industries hard to decarbonize.

Electrification is currently unable to meet these requirements, but sustainable, energy-dense, liquid biofuels are becoming a strong alternative to address these needs, DOE said.

The “Scale-Up of Integrated Biorefineries” funding opportunity announcement (FOA) will advance biorefinery development and feedstocks improvement projects in alignment with a broader DOE strategy to support biorefinery projects that can produce sustainable renewable diesel and aviation, marine, and rail fuel at every stage of development.

The funding also supports DOE’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge goal of enabling the production of three billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel annually by 2030 and 35 billion gallons annually by 2050, enough to meet 100% of US aviation fuel demand.

The funding opportunity is structured around four Topic Areas:

1. Pre-Pilot Scale-Up of Integrated Biorefineries

2. Pilot Scale-Up of Integrated Biorefineries

3. Demonstration Scale-Up of Integrated Biorefineries

4. Gen-1 Corn Ethanol Emission Reduction

This is the second in a series of “Scale-Up” FOAs. In September 2021, DOE awarded $64 million to 22 projects focused on developing technologies and processes that produce low-cost, low-carbon biofuels. This new FOA is expected to fund between four and 20 projects.

Applicants of the Scale-Up of Integrated Biorefineries FOA must submit a concept paper by 5:00 pm EST on or before 8 July 2022, to be eligible to submit a full application.