All Knowledge & Insights By Date

DOE, “Bioprose: Building the Bioeconomy through Technology & Communication” Business Wire, “Biofuel and Biogas Innovators Unite for Stronger Cellulosic Targets” Bangor University, “Landfill Sites: Not Just a Load of Rubbish” Penn State, “Potato Waste Processing May Be the Road to Enhanced Food Waste Conversion”...

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) is investigating whether algae can be used to transform the Salton Sea, one of California’s largest and most polluted lakes, into a productive and profitable resource.  The Salton Sea Biomass Remediation project (SABRE), which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), aims to use algae to rid the lake of pollutants while creating a renewable, domestic source of...

By Kathleen M. Roberts On August 2, 2017, DOE published a notice in the Federal Register announcing a public meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee.  The committee is comprised of approximately 30 volunteers from industry, academia, nonprofit organizations, and local government that collaborate to: Advise the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Points of Contact concerning: The technical focus and direction of requests for...

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On August 2, 2017, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that a fourth project under the MEGA-BIO: Bioproducts to Enable Biofuels Funding Opportunity would be awarded up to $1.8 million.  Michigan State University was selected to manage the fourth project, which will work in partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Madison and MBI International to optimize a two-stage process for deconstruction of biomass into two clean intermediate...

The Hill, “Court Rejects 2015 EPA Biofuels Waivers” Govenors’ Biofuels Coalition, “Action on E15 Bill not Expected Before August Recess” Department of Energy, “EERE Success Story — New Membrane Technology Will Improve Efficiency of Biofuel Production” PWashington State University, “Algae Cultivation Technique Could Advance Biofuels”...

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On July 11, 2017, DOE announced the selection of three projects focused on reducing the costs of producing algal biofuels and bioproducts that will receive up to $8 million in funding.    The projects aim to generate high-impact tools and techniques for increasing the productivity of algae organisms and cultures and biology-focused breakthroughs.  The project winners include: Lumen Bioscience, which will work with the National Renewable Energy...

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On July 17, 2017, the U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced that $40 million in Department of Energy (DOE) awards will be used to establish four DOE Bioenergy Research Centers (BRC) to be led by a DOE National Laboratory or top university.  Each BRC will focus on laying the scientific groundwork for a new biobased economy by providing scientific breakthroughs for a new generation of sustainable, cost-effective bioproducts and bioenergy. ...

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On June 21, 2017, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that 32 small businesses across 18 states will receive a total of $32 million in grants to develop clean energy technologies that have a strong potential for commercialization and job creation.  The funding was provided by DOE’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.  The 32 projects were selected based on scientific and technical...

By Kathleen M. Roberts On June 5, 2017, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), announced that up to $9 million in funding will be available through the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI) in fiscal year (FY) 2017.  Projects funded by BRDI will focus on developing economically and environmentally sustainable sources of renewable biomass, increasing the...

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On June 2, 2017, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced the availability of Project Peer Review 2017 presentations.  The biennial event provides an opportunity for external stakeholders to evaluate rigorously the technical approach, progress, relevance, and overall merit of all the projects in the BETO portfolio.  The review was conducted across nine technology areas, including: Feedstock Supply and...