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Past Solicitations

 

Integrated Cellulosic Biorefineries
Ethanologen Projects
Thermochemical Solicitation
Ten Percent Validation
Enzymes Solicitation
USDA - DOE Joint Solicitation
Bioenergy Research Centers

Integrated Cellulosic Biorefineries

On February 28, 2007, the Department of Energy (DOE) selected six biorefinery projects to develop commercial-scale integrated biorefineries demonstrating the use of a wide variety of cellulosic feedstocks such as corn fiber, wood wastes, agriculture residues, municipal solid wastes and potential energy crops. The collective goal of these projects is to demonstrate that integrated biorefineries can operate profitably once their construction costs are covered and can be replicated.

Since selection on February 28, two of the projects were withdrawn, leaving four projects to reach award. DOE will invest up to $272 million in the four projects over the next four years. When fully operational, these facilities will be capable of producing more than 98.1 million gallons of ethanol per year.

While the refining process for cellulosic ethanol is more complex than that of corn-based ethanol, cellulosic ethanol yields a somewhat greater net energy benefit and results in lower greenhouse gas emissions. Three of the four projects—BlueFire Ethanol, Inc., Poet, and Abengoa Bioenergy—will principally utilize biochemical processes to free the sugars from the biomass and then ferment them into alcohol. Range Fuels plans to use thermochemical processes to gasify the biomass into a "synthesis gas," which will then be further converted into biofuels.

Ethanologen Projects—Development of Fermentative Organisms

In March 2007, DOE selected five projects focused on developing highly efficient fermentative organisms to convert biomass material into ethanol. Commercialization of fermentative organisms, capable of fermenting both hexose and pentose sugars, is crucial to the success of biochemical based integrated biorefineries. The criteria used in selecting these projects were: the organism's stated capacity to convert lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol, the robustness of the organism in process-relevant conditions, and commercial market economics. Additionally, it was specified that the organism must be able to survive a wide range of environmental and process conditions and remain stable from adverse mutation. More than $23 million in federal funding will be available for these projects. When combined with industry cost share contributions, more than $37 million could ultimately be invested in the five projects. The five projects selected were:

  • Cargill Incorporated to receive up to $4.4 million
  • Verenium to receive up to $5.3 million
  • E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Company to receive up to $3.7 million
  • Mascoma Corporation to receive up to $4.9 million
  • Purdue University to receive up to $5 million

Thermochemical Solicitation

DOE announced on December 4, 2007 that four cellulosic biofuel projects will receive funding over the next three years. Due to available funding, a fifth project with the Gas Technology Institute was added. The five projects will receive up to $9.7 million in funding. When combined with the industry cost share, more than $17.7 million will be invested in the five projects from fiscal year 2008 to fiscal year 2010. The following five projects were selected for negotiation of awards:

  • Emery Energy Company of Salt Lake City, Utah to receive up to $1.7 million
  • Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa to receive up to $2 million
  • Research Triangle Institute of Research Triangle Park, North Carolina to receive up to $2 million
  • Southern Research Institute of Birmingham, Alabama to receive up to $2 million
  • Gas Technology Institute to receive up to $2 million

These projects will demonstrate the thermochemical conversion process of turning switchgrass, corn stover, wood, and the non-edible parts of other organic materials into biofuel. The five projects will validate technologies for removing contaminants from biomass derived synthesis gas to very low levels. After verifying the proposed cleanup technology can achieve the required low contaminant level, the projects will advance to the second phase where a fuel synthesis train will be coupled to the gas cleanup system. The fuel synthesis train will use catalysts to convert the cleaned synthesis gas to Fischer Tropsch (FT) hydrocarbons and/or mixed alcohols.

Emery Energy will demonstrate conversion to both hydrocarbons and mixed alcohols, while the other four projects will only produce FT hydrocarbons. This research promises to validate effective technology to eliminate contaminants generated during biomass gasification to levels necessary to protect the expensive catalysts used for subsequent fuels synthesis from poisoning.

Ten Percent Validation—Small-Scale Cellulosic Biorefineries

On January 29, 2008, DOE announced it will provide up to $114 million over four years to support the development of small-scale cellulosic biorefineries. The projects will develop biorefineries at 10% of commercial scale that produce liquid transportation fuels as well as biobased chemicals and bioproducts used in industrial applications. Projects selected to negotiate awards will use novel approaches and a variety of cellulosic feedstocks to test new conversion processes. Combined with industry cost share, more than $331 million will be invested in these four projects. Combined with industry cost share, more than $331 million will be invested in these four projects. Two projects were announced July 14, 2008, with DOE cofunding of up to $40 million. An additional three projects were later announced with DOE cofunding of up to $86 million.

Enzyme Systems Solicitation

In February 2008, DOE announced its investment of up to $33.8 million over four years (Fiscal Years 2008–2011) in four projects that will focus on developing improved enzyme systems to convert cellulosic material into sugars suitable for production of biofuels. These projects aim to address key technical hurdles associated with the mass production of clean, renewable fuels, such as cellulosic ethanol. These four projects seek to more cost-effectively and efficiently break down processed biomass into fermentable sugars, a significant challenge in converting biomass into fuels.

Projects were selected based on their demonstrated ability to reduce the cost of enzymes-per-gallon of ethanol by improving an enzyme's performance. Selected projects must demonstrate the ability to produce enzymes at a commercial-scale, and have a sound business strategy to market the enzymes or enzyme production systems in biorefinery operations. Combined with industry cost share, up to $70 million will be invested in these projects, with a minimum 50% cost share from industry. The four projects selected to negotiate awards were:

  • DSM Innovation Center Inc. of Parsippany, New Jersey
  • Genencor–a Division of Danisco, USA, Inc. of Palo Alto, California
  • Novozymes, Inc. of Davis, California
  • Verenium Corporation of San Diego, California

USDA—DOE Annual Joint Biomass R&D Solicitation

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy partner to conduct research and development activities in cellulosic conversion, biobased product diversification, feedstock production, and analysis for strategic guidance under the Biomass Research and Development Initiative. The annual solicitation, when open, is listed on this page. Information about prior solicitations can be found on the Biomass Research and Development Initiative website.

Genomics: GTL Bioenergy Research Centers

In June 2007, DOE announced the Office of Science has established three Bioenergy Research Centers intended to accelerate basic research in the development of cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels as part of the Office's Genomics: GTL Program.

More information about the GTL Bioenergy Research Centers can be found on the Office of Science website.