- The biomass project would meet the Sustainable Aviation Fuel goal of producing 35 billion gallons of low-GHG emission domestic biomass and waste resources annually by 2050.
- The projects would create good-paying jobs, support rural economies and encourage the participation of underserved communities.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) awarded $18.6 million (€17.3 million) in funding to eight university and industry projects to develop biomass feedstocks. These biomass feedstocks would produce affordable biofuels and bioproducts that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. DOE said the projects, located in eight states, would create good-paying jobs, support rural economies and encourage the participation of underserved communities, all while putting the United States on a path to a clean and equitable energy economy.
The associate principal deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy, Alejandro Moreno, stated, “These critical investments represent DOE’s commitment to tackling the most challenging clean energy problems. These projects have the potential to drastically reduce barriers to producing clean, sustainable biofuels and can jumpstart innovation in the clean energy bioeconomy.”
The selected projects support DOE’s investment in developing and producing biofuels and innovation and growth in agricultural industries. They would help meet the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Grand Challenge goal of producing 35 billion gallons of low-GHG emission SAF made from domestic biomass and waste resources annually by 2050.
Currently, most biofuels are made from feedstocks such as corn grain and agricultural residues, forestry residues, and solid and wet waste streams. DOE said to meet the growing demand for SAFs and other low-carbon biofuels, affordable feedstock sources must be developed.
The selected projects would address critical bioenergy needs through two topic areas: improving the production of environmentally sustainable and low-carbon feedstocks for bioenergy through climate-smart agricultural practices and developing algae crop protection methods and strategies for algae cultivation systems.