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By Lynn L. Bergeson  On January 13, 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), in collaboration with the Algae Foundation and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, opened the AlgaePrize competition for high school through graduate students in the United States. This new prize focuses on the development, design, and invention of algal technologies to help reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through algae commercialization. During the...

By Lynn L. Bergeson  On December 23, 2021, DOE issued a Request for Information (RFI) on the scale-up and demonstration of renewable fuels. In the RFI “Overcoming Barriers to Renewable Fuel Scale-Up and Demonstration,” DOE expresses its wish to obtain input from biofuels producers and technology developers regarding their readiness to scale process technologies to pilot- and demonstration-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable diesel, and renewable marine fuels....

By Lynn L. Bergeson   On December 13, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the availability of $54 million in seed funding for U.S. small businesses to research, develop, and create commercialization action plans for new technologies that accelerate the national transition to a clean energy economy. Led by DOE’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, the opportunity provides that applicants may receive up...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On October 29, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) issued a notice of intent to release a second Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to accelerate the scale-up of biofuel and bioproduct refineries. Funded by DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), this FOA will include efforts for pre-pilot, pilot, and demonstration scale projects. The FOA will fund...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On September 30, 2021, DOE announced the launch of a new prize that will award up to $2.5 million in cash prizes to ten groups and organizations that support entrepreneurship and innovation in historically underserved communities. The Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize acknowledges that underserved populations have been and continue to be more susceptible to the negative impact of climate change, global warming, and pollution....

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. As part of a White House roundtable to launch the Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Grand Challenge to decarbonize the aviation sector by 2050, on September 9, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the availability of $64.7 million in funding for projects focused on the production of cost-effective and low-carbon biofuels. DOE aims to advance technologies to replace petroleum fuels used in heavy-duty forms of...

By Lynn L. Bergeson    On August 27, 2021, DOE’s EERE, in partnership with the Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Institute (CESMII), announced the selections of four new Smart Manufacturing Innovation Centers (SMICs). SMICs offer specialized training and direct industry engagement to help U.S. manufacturers implement smart manufacturing technologies to optimize their use of materials and energy. CESMII, an institute funded by DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office, focuses...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A.   On August 26, 2021, DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity (ED) announced the launch of the Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize. The new prize will provide cash prizes of up to $250,000 each -- totaling $2.5 million -- to groups and organizations in support of entrepreneurship and innovation in communities historically underrepresented and...

By Lynn L. Bergeson  On August 18, 2021, DOE’s Biological and Environmental Research (BER) Program issued a request for information (RFI) seeking input on technical and logistical pathways that would enhance BER’s research portfolio in comparison to similar international research efforts. The BER Program is DOE’s coordinating office for research on biological systems, bioenergy, environmental science, and Earth system science. Written comments and information must be...

By Lynn L. Bergeson   On August 9, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued its Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Phase I Release 1 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. DOE encourages applications from qualified small businesses with strong research capabilities in science, engineering, or any research area sought in the announcement.   To become eligible to submit a Phase I...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A.   On July 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the availability of $60 million in funding for its cohort of university-based Industrial Assessment Centers (IACs). The IACs assist small- and medium-sized manufacturers in reducing their carbon footprint and lowering energy costs. IACs, with particular attention to disadvantaged and underrepresented communities, also train the next generation of...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A.   On July 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a new goal under the Energy Earthshot Initiative’s (Energy Earthshots): “Long Duration Storage Shot.” The Energy Earthshots program focuses on scientific breakthroughs that can lead to more abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy solutions within this decade as the United States aims to achieve net-zero carbon goals by 2050. The second...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On July 29, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. (EDT), Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm will host a virtual roundtable on the future of manufacturing. Roundtable discussions will focus on the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) efforts to: Decarbonize the manufacturing sector in the United States; Manufacture clean-energy technologies; and Pave the way to a resilient, carbon-neutral economy by 2050. During the roundtable’s panel discussion, Secretary Granholm will...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A.   On July 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced Phase I selections for the Waste-to-Energy Technical Assistance for Local Governments Program. Designed by NREL to provide assistance in the development of waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies on behalf of BETO, the goal of this program is to identify gaps and gather data and...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On June 28, 2021, DOE announced the dates of the 2021 SBIR Week. The virtual event is scheduled for July 19, 2021, through July 23, 2021, and aims to connect entrepreneurs working on advanced technologies to the United States’ largest source of early-stage funding: DOE’s SBIR and STTR programs. The SBIR and STTR programs, also known as America’s Seed Fund, provide more than $4 billion annually in funding to small businesses developing new technologies....

By Lynn L. Bergeson   On June 15, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) announced that it will host a webinar with EERE’s Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for Renewable Power, Alejandro Moreno, on June 17, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. (EDT). The one-hour webinar will cover activities, programs, and initiatives proposed in EERE’s budget request. EERE requested $4.7 billion in an effort to lead the transition of the...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On June 9, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that 235 U.S. small businesses will receive $54 million in critical seed funding for 266 projects focused on developing and deploying novel technology solutions that contribute to the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Administered by DOE’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, selected projects include: Grid-smart building controls;...

By Lynn L. Bergeson   On June 2, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) announced that the United States, Denmark, and Norway joined forces with the Global Maritime Forum and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping to lead a new Zero-Emission Shipping Mission. This effort is part of Mission Innovation, “a global initiative to catalyze action and investment in research, development...

 By  Lynn L. Bergeson   On June 7, 2021, Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm launched the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Earthshots Initiative. Designed to accelerate innovation of abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy solutions within the next ten years. Secretary Granholm stated that the first Energy Earthshot will be the Hydrogen Shot, which sets an ambitious yet achievable cost target to accelerate innovations and spur demand of clean...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On June 3, 2021, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (EDT), the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) Acting Assistant Secretary Kelly Speakes-Backman and the Deputy Assistant Secretaries (DAS) for EERE’s three technology pillars and Operations will host a webinar to discuss EERE’s fiscal year 2022 (FY 2022) budget request. DOE EERE’s three technology pillars are: Energy Efficiency, Renewable Power, and...