(Credit: Canva Pro)The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it will provide $118 million to 17 projects aimed at accelerating the production of sustainable biofuels for transportation and manufacturing needs. The selected projects will drive the domestic production of biofuels and bioproducts by advancing biorefinery development from pre-pilot to demonstration, creating sustainable fuels that reduce emissions associated with fossil fuels.
The Department of Energy’s funding opportunity supports President Biden's goal to deliver an equitable, clean energy future, and put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050. Selected projects will contribute to meeting DOE's goal to achieve cost-competitive biofuels and at least a 70% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030.
“Biofuels are a versatile tool because they have the immediate potential to power our ships, trains, airlines and heavy-duty vehicles—a huge contributor to total carbon emissions—with a significantly reduced carbon footprint,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “DOE investments are helping to build out a domestic bioenergy supply chain that increases America’s energy independence, creates jobs, and accelerates the adoption of cleaner fuels for our transportation needs.”
Projects selected for funding include pre-pilot, pilot, and demonstration projects that will scale up existing biomass to fuel technologies with the ultimate goal of creating millions of gallons of low-carbon fuel annually. The projects selected for funding will create good-paying jobs in rural and underserved communities and plans submitted by these projects demonstrate a commitment to collaboration with local school districts, promoting bioenergy occupations.
Award amounts range from $500,000 to $80 million, with most receiving at least $2 million. The selections, which are subject to final award negotiations and additional eligibility vetting, will be administered by?DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO).
This funding will reduce technological uncertainties and enable industry deployment. Made from widely available domestic feedstocks and advanced refining technologies, energy-dense biofuels provide a pathway for low-carbon fuels that can lower greenhouse gas emissions throughout the transportation sector and accelerate the bioeconomy.
The funded projects align with renewable fuels goals in the first-ever U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, a multi-agency framework that outlines how to reduce emissions and create a robust transportation workforce while securing America's energy independence.
The projects also support the U.S. Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge goal of enabling the production of three billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel annually by 2030, as well as the goal of producing 35 billion gallons annually by 2050.
