DOE Announces up to $200 Million in Funding for Biorefineries

On May 1, 2007, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman announced that the DOE will provide up to $200 million, from FY07 to FY11, to support the development of small-scale, (at ten percent of commercial scale), cellulosic biorefineries in the United States. The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) seeks projects to develop integrated biorefinery demonstration facilities, employing lignocellulosic feedstocks for the production of a combination of liquid transportation fuel(s), biobased chemicals, biobased products and substitutes for petroleum-based feedstocks. This solicitation is in support of Sec. 932 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L.109-58).

Up to $15 million is expected to be available in FY07, with the remaining $185 million expected to be available in FY08-11, subject to Congressional appropriation. DOE anticipates making 5-10 awards under this announcement, with projects requiring a minimum of 50 percent cost share. The FOA will support demonstration projects that will use novel approaches as well as a variety of cellulosic feedstocks to test key refining processes and provide operational data needed to lower the technical hurdles of financing full-size commercial plants. Projects are expected to be operational within three to four years with commercial-scale demonstrations expected to follow thereafter.

Applications for this FOA are due August 14, 2007.

For more information on the FOA, "Demonstration of Integrated Biorefinery Operations for Producing Biofuels and Chemical/Materials Products" 

If you have questions, please email or call EESI at bioenergy [at] eesi.org or (202) 662-1885.