All Knowledge & Insights By Date

On September 9, 2026, Representatives Brian Babin (R-TX), Chair of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, and Rich McCormick (R-GA), Chair of the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee, sent letters to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya, and National Science Foundation (NSF) Acting Director Brian Stone requesting information on how those agencies are “advancing U.S. leadership in biotechnology...

The U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published on August 6, 2026, a temporary final rule (the Rule) titled “DPAS Directive Allocation Order and Additional Requirements for Recoverable Critical Minerals and Materials” to restrict the exportation of black mass and tungsten waste and scrap. According to BIS, “this temporary rule is necessary to immediately secure the supply of certain recoverable [critical minerals and materials] CMMs to ensure an adequate...

On November 25, 2025, the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) announced the publication of a discussion paper entitled “The Future of Science: A Playbook for Accelerating American Innovation.” According to NSCEB, the paper is “the first in a series of fresh analyses” that NSCEB will publish following the publication of its final report and action plan for Congress in April 2025. The paper represents observations from NSCEB, drawn from consultations with a range...

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced on November 20, 2024, the release of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Grand Challenge Roadmap Implementation Framework. Developed by an interagency team led by DOE, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the framework is a supplemental document to the roadmap. Whereas the roadmap identified the actions needed to...

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) published a fact sheet on June 25, 2024, on the Biden-⁠Harris Administration’s actions to advance American biotechnology and biomanufacturing. According to the fact sheet, on June 25, 2024, the White House, members of the National Bioeconomy Board, and the U.S. Departments of Energy (DOE), Defense (DOD), and Agriculture (USDA) convened major biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies, nonprofits, and other stakeholders to...

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced on May 7, 2024, the release of the “Progression of Net-Zero Emission Propulsion Technologies for the Off-Road Sector Request for Information” (RFI). Jointly released with DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) and Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO), the purpose of the RFI is to understand the off-road sector alternative propulsion technology preferences, technologies that seem most...

The Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium (ChemCatBio), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) consortium, wants to hear questions, comments, or concerns to help find ways to increase the benefits and decrease the burden of new industry on communities. ChemCatBio states that to be successful in its mission, it needs to reduce barriers to deployment of new technologies and build or update chemical manufacturing. In alignment with government objectives, it...

On April 10, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced the MACRO: Mixed Algae Conversion Research Opportunity funding opportunity announcement (FOA). According to BETO, the FOA will award up to $18.8 million to address research and development (R&D) challenges in converting algae, such as seaweeds and other wet waste feedstocks, to biofuels and bioproducts that can decarbonize domestic...

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will hold an informational webinar on April 16, 2024, on the recently released 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23), an assessment of renewable carbon resources potentially available in the United States. BETO notes that BT23 shows that the United States could sustainably triple its production of biomass to more than one billion tons per year and highlights the importance of diversifying...

On March 15, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the release of the Bioenergy Technologies Office’s (BETO) 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23), the fourth in a series of assessments of potential biomass resources available in the United States. BT23 provides estimates of biomass resource potential in response to market demand scenarios. According to DOE, BT23 finds that one billion tons of biomass could satisfy more than 100 percent of the projected demand for airplane fuel in the...