by Katie Fehrenbacher (earth2tech) It was about this time last year that the economic downturn’s effects on the ability of next-generation biofuel companies to raise funds became really apparent. Companies that could have more easily snagged funds in better economic times
grants
Back TO HOMEVice President Biden Announces Recovery Act Funding for 37 Transformational Energy Research Projects
(US Department of Energy) At a Recovery Act Cabinet Meeting today, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that the U.S. Department of Energy is awarding $106 million in funding for 37 ambitious research projects that
May 03, 2010 Read Full Article
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Invites Public Comment on Proposed Rules for USDA Renewable Energy Programs
(USDA) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack April 16, 2010, invited public comment on several proposed rules designed to increase the production of advanced biofuels and the development of biorefineries. The programs are authorized under the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (The
April 20, 2010 Read Full Article
Pickens Encourages Investment in American Energy
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel) “When do we stop investing in OPEC and start investing in America?” That’s the question that oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens asked at a House Ways and Means committee hearing Wednesday (April 14, 2010) on “Energy Tax
April 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Woodland Biofuels Awarded $4 Million by Ontario For Revolutionary Cellulosic Ethanol Demonstration Plant
Ontario is investing $4 million through the Innovation Demonstration Fund (IDF) to help Woodland Biofuels Inc. and its partners build a groundbreaking demonstration plant that will efficiently produce cellulosic ethanol from renewable wastes. The plant will use Woodland’s patented technology, which
April 09, 2010 Read Full Article
Governor Rendell: Investing in Alternative Fuel Transportation Projects Will Drive Pennsylvania toward Energy Independence
Seeking to enhance Pennsylvania's energy security, promote alternative forms of energy and create a cleaner environment, Governor Edward G. Rendell announced an $8 million investment in 20 projects that will advance the alternative fuels industry in the state. “The Alternative Fuel
April 07, 2010 Read Full Article
Department of Energy to Invest Nearly $18 Million for Advanced Biofuels User Facility
U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Cathy Zoi today announced that the Department’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will build an advanced biofuels process development facility aimed at speeding the commercialization of advanced biofuels by
April 06, 2010 Read Full Article
EPA Awards Small Business Grants for Biofuels and Vehicle Emissions Reduction
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $2.38 million to 34 small businesses to develop innovative, sustainable technologies to protect human health and the environment. These efforts will help improve air quality, protect our water, work to decrease the
April 05, 2010 Read Full Article
Cup Plant Promising for Ethanol Use
by Thom Gabrukiewicz (Argus Leader) A native perennial might hold the promise of being not only a new source crop for cellulosic ethanol, but also a way to help capture and store carbon. South Dakota State University plant breeders are helping investigate
March 29, 2010 Read Full Article
UK Looks to Produce 70bn Litres of Biofuel a Year from Pondlife
(clickgreen) The Carbon Trust has announced plans to take on the world in the global race to develop a sustainable, cost-effective biofuel from algae. The "dream team" of eleven leading UK institutions was unveiled who will work together with the Carbon
March 19, 2010 Read Full Article
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Availability of Funding to Promote Rural Biofuel and Bioenergy Production
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 funding is available again through three USDA programs to promote increased production of biofuel and bioenergy. The programs are authorized under the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008
March 18, 2010 Read Full Article
Federal Loan Programs Ill-Suited for Cellulosic Ethanol
by Cole Gustafson (Prairie Business Magazine) ... In addition to problems on Wall Street following the collapse of the financial markets, cellulosic biofuel producers have lacked standard benchmarks of performance like those used in grain corn ethanol plants (1 bushel
March 16, 2010 Read Full Article
Over There: The Yanks are Coming (同胞, Can You Spare a Dime?)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) BIO exec VP Brent Erickson ruefully noted in a conference with reporters that the biofuels industry was “very disappointed in the loan guarantee program. Biomass was mixed in with wind and solar, which have much
March 16, 2010 Read Full Article
Kentucky Awards a Combined $530,000 to Develop Alternative Fuels and Renewable Energy Technologies
(MFRTech) Two Kentucky companies have been awarded a combined $530,000 in funding from the Kentucky New Energy Ventures Fund. The state program provides public funds to promising, early-stage Kentucky companies developing and commercializing alternative fuels and renewable energy technologies. ...Southeast Biofuels,
March 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Improved Biomass Deconstruction Technologies Will Speed the Use of Non-Food Feedstocks as a Source of Cost-Effective, Infrastructure-Compatible Renewable Biofuels
Virent Energy Systems, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded $2.4 million from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of a $33.8 million grant to the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium (NABC). The NABC aims to develop technologies to
March 11, 2010 Read Full Article
Spring Algae Bloom: an Inside Look at the DOE’s New Algal Fuels Consortium, the NAABB.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) was a cold Wednesday afternoon in January when the news came through that a consortium called the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts had received a $44 million grant from the Department of Energy.
March 04, 2010 Read Full Article
Senate Offers Some Hope for Legislation to Combat Climate Change
Editorial (The Washington Post) ... Is there no alternative between simple do-nothingism and House complexity? In fact, there is. An alternative proposal increasingly capturing interest on Capitol Hill is the CLEAR Act, sponsored by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Susan
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
Grant Buys 120 Hybrid, 'Flex Fuel' Squad Cars
by Michael Gonzalez (Post-Tribune) More of Gary's men and women in blue could be driving green by spring. The Board of Works on Wednesday voted to advertise for vendors to provide up to 120 "flex fuel" and hybrid vehicles for the
February 15, 2010 Read Full Article
"This Approach, We Fear, Drives a Systematic Bias toward Lending for Power Generation Projects.”
(Biofuels Digest) A letter to Energy Secretary Chu from 11 cellulosic ethanol CEOs and directors: “The Department is obligated by statute to determine that LGP-funded projects offer a “reasonable prospect of repayment” (EPAct Section 1702(d)(1)). We understand that, at present,
February 09, 2010 Read Full Article
Rules Change for Algenol, but Lee County's Gamble Could Work
by David Plazas (News-Press) The Lee County Commissioners on Tuesday changed the rules on doling out economic development incentive money, and maybe that’s a good thing. We’ll have to see because Algenol Biofuels— which is now getting $10 million of
February 02, 2010 Read Full Article
Is This the Life Sciences Century? A Washington, DC, Conversation
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) “Maybe the “Valley of Death” is working as it should for the biofuels industry. First generation biofuels seem to be finding their place in the market. Maybe there are good reasons that other technologies
January 27, 2010 Read Full Article
Testimony of Energy Secretary Steven Chu before the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
(January 21, 2010) ...It is imperative that government provide R&D funding, especially at the front end when private investments would not recoup the full value of the shared social good or when a new technology would displace an embedded way
January 22, 2010 Read Full Article
Secretary Chu Announces Nearly $80 Million Investment for Advanced Biofuels Research and Fueling Infrastructure
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the investment of nearly $80 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for advanced biofuels research and fueling infrastructure that will help support the development of a clean sustainable transportation
January 13, 2010 Read Full Article
Self-destructing Bacteria Improve Renewable Biofuel Production
by Joe Caspermeyer (Renewable Energy World) An Arizona State University research team has developed a process that removes a key obstacle to producing lower cost, renewable biofuels. The team has programmed a photosynthetic microbe to self-destruct, making the recovery of
January 11, 2010 Read Full Article
US Jet Fuel Biorefinery Projects Receive $100m
by Megan Kuhn (Flightglobal) Four companies with biorefinery projects targeting alternative jet fuel production will receive grant money totalling up to $100 million from the US Energy Department. Honeywell subsidiary UOP, algae-based fuel developer Sapphire Energy, chemical producer Elevance Renewable Sciences
January 11, 2010 Read Full Article
NC Solicits Grant Proposals for Bioenergy Projects
by Kris Bevill (Biomass Magazine) The North Carolina Board of Science & Technology is currently accepting proposals for the state’s 2009-’10 Green Business Fund grant program. The fund, developed to promote environmentally friendly economic growth in North Carolina, will award
January 06, 2010 Read Full Article
Cellulosic-Ethanol Mandate Faces Snags
by Naureen S. Malik (Wall Street Journal) Cellulosic-ethanol production, a cornerstone of the U.S. government's plan to curb greenhouse-gas emissions, is earmarked to overtake corn ethanol over the next decade. But the industry's expected takeoff could be delayed by a year. Several potholes
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Department of Energy to Invest $366M in Energy Innovation Hubs
Funding Opportunity Announcement for Fuels from Sunlight Hub is Issued. U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu outlined the Department’s plans to invest up to $366 million to establish and operate three new Energy Innovation Hubs focused on accelerating research
December 29, 2009 Read Full Article
Dynaflow Announces DOE Small Business Innovation Grant for Cavitation-Based Algae Harvest, Oil Extract System
Dynaflow, Inc.®, a leader in R&D services and products in fluid dynamics and applied sciences, today announced that it has been awarded a Department of Energy (DOE) Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to develop and demonstrate a
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
The Hottest 50 Companies in Bioenergy and the DOE Integrated Bioenergy Grants, in Maps
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Digest has prepared several maps which help to visualize the distribution in the US of advanced biofuels development. Maps include: 1. Locations of the companies in the 50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy. Free download. 2. Locations
December 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Inside DOE: A Look at How the $564 Million Integrated Bioenergy Grant Process Operated
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “What you win is the right to negotiate,” chuckles Jim Imbler, CEO of ZeaChem, reflecting on the company’s recent success in winning one of the DOE’s recently announced 19 awards for integrated bioenergy pilot and demonstration
December 14, 2009 Read Full Article
Grant to Fund Construction of Biomass Gasifier for Production of Renewable Synthetic Fuels at Rentech’s Demonstration Plant in Colorado
Rentech, Inc., and ClearFuels Technology Inc. (ClearFuels) jointly announced that they have been selected to receive up to $23 million as a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) to construct a biomass gasifier at Rentech’s Energy Technology Center
December 08, 2009 Read Full Article
PetroSun Announces the Selection of the Gas Technology Institute's Integrated Biorefinery Proposal by the DOE
PetroSun, Inc., announced that the Department of Energy has advised Gas Technology Institute of Des Plaines, Illinois that its Integrated Biorefinery application has been selected for negotiations leading to an award. The GTI team members include PetroSun, Cargill, Blue Marble
December 08, 2009 Read Full Article
ADM Receives $24.8 Million U.S. Department of Energy Grant to Develop and Commercialize Advanced Biofuels
The U.S. Department of Energy today awarded Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) a $24.8 million grant to develop and construct a facility that will convert biomass into renewable fuel. One of 19 biofuel projects to receive Department of Energy
December 08, 2009 Read Full Article
Secretary Chu Announces $100 Million for Advanced Research Projects: EXCLUDES Funds for Biomass to Transportation Fuels
U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that a second round of funding opportunities for transformational energy research projects will be made available through the Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). At an event today with Commerce Secretary Gary Locke,
December 08, 2009 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Increases Funding to $81 M for Phase II of BlueFire Ethanol's Planned Fulton, MS Biorefinery
BlueFire Ethanol Fuels, Inc., a company focused on changing the world's transportation fuel paradigm through the production of ethanol from non-food cellulosic wastes, announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) increased funding to $81.1 million dollars for Phase II construction
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
Secretaries Chu and Vilsack Announce More Than $600 Million Investment in Advanced Biorefinery Projects
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of 19 integrated biorefinery projects to receive up to $564 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate the construction and operation
December 07, 2009 Read Full Article
DuPont's 'Unique' Seaweed Venture Nets DOE Cash
by Dina Fine Maron (New York Times Greenwire) Seaweed holds promise as more than an ingredient in a purifying face mask or a maki roll. So say researchers at E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., which alongside Seattle-based Bio
November 30, 2009 Read Full Article
Alganomics in Southport Receives 'Green' Grant from North Carolina
by Jim Brumm (Star News) The governor’s office said that Alganomics is one of 18 small companies that will receive grants to develop and market promising green and alternative energy technologies and products. Alganomics will receive $59,500 to support its
November 23, 2009 Read Full Article
Recovery Act Announcement: DOE Awards up to $5.5 Million for X PRIZE to Promote Clean, Energy Efficient Vehicles
Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that the Department of Energy is providing up to $5.5 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support the X PRIZE Foundation's work to inspire a new generation of energy efficient
November 04, 2009 Read Full Article
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and Cleantech Group Announce Launch of Government Funding Resource
The publicly available tool--driven by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati content--aggregates and frequently updates the numerous financing opportunities, such as grants, loan guarantees, tax credits, and other programs, being offered by federal and state governments. Users are able to search
October 29, 2009 Read Full Article
ARPE-E Awards $151 Million in Advanced Energy R&D – Pyrolysis, Algae, Butanol, CO2 Capture among Hot Technologies Funded
In California, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that ARPA-E — the Department’s recently-formed Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy — has awarded $151 million in funding for 37 research projects. Biofuels Digest lists and describes the projects that relate to advanced
October 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Opening Second Tender Global Sustainable Biomass Fund
The Global Sustainable Biomass Fund supports developing countries in making their biomass production for energy uses sustainable. It thus enables them to access the local or international market of sustainable biomass for energy uses. The overall goal of the subsidy
October 24, 2009 Read Full Article
NC State Receives $2 Million for Algae Research
Imagine filling up your car with fuel that comes from inexpensive algae that grow quickly, don’t use up freshwater supplies and can be cultivated in areas where they won’t compete with traditional food crops, such as corn or soybeans. Researchers
October 22, 2009 Read Full Article
Biofuels Producers Warn They Are Going to Fall Far Short of Federal Mandates
by Jessica Leber (New York Times Climatewire) The emerging cellulosic biofuel industry, stung by frozen credit markets, ineffective federal loan programs and lagging federal policies, will fall far short of mandated production volumes over the next few years. U.S. EPA is
October 10, 2009 Read Full Article
Kansas Wheat Commission Seeking Proposals
(Kansas Farmer) Researchers are invited to submit proposals to help wheat growers. Possible areas of inquiry include wheat and wheat bi-products for use in biofuel applications, including on-farm fuel production. The Kansas Wheat Commission is looking for research proposals that can
October 07, 2009 Read Full Article
Algae initiative Aims to Produce Fuel while Helping the Environment
The College of William and Mary and its Virginia Institute of Marine Science have formed a collaborative research initiative to investigate a promising new technology to produce biofuel from the algae growing naturally in rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. The
October 05, 2009 Read Full Article
Gore-Backed Car Firm Gets Large U.S. Loan
by Josh Mitchell and Stephen Power (Wall Street Journal) A tiny car company backed by former Vice President Al Gore has just gotten a $529 million U.S. government loan to help build a hybrid sports car in Finland that will sell
September 30, 2009 Read Full Article
US DOE Funds Research on Novel Energy Initiatives
Washington University and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center have received two awards totaling $35 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to do research on novel energy initiatives. At $20 million, the Washington University research award is the
September 03, 2009 Read Full Article
Funding Available for Clean Technology Projects: SDTC Calls for Statements of Interest for its Sixteenth Round of Funding
Clean technology developers from across Canada are invited to submit Statements of Interest to the $550-million SD Tech Fund(TM), as Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) opens its sixteenth funding round. ... SDTC is a not-for-profit corporation created by the Government
September 03, 2009 Read Full Article
Grant: Value-Added Producer Grants for Alternative Uses of Agricultural Products
Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG) help independent producers of agricultural commodities, agricultural producer groups, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures develop strategies to create marketing opportunities and to help develop business plans for viable marketing opportunities. This may include
September 03, 2009 Read Full Article
DOE Selects Biofuels Projects to Receive up to $21 Million in Funding
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that up to $21 million will be made available for the selection of five projects that will develop supply systems to handle and deliver high tonnage biomass feedstocks for cellulosic biofuels
September 01, 2009 Read Full Article
The Rise of Biofuels from Algae
(ClearSkies.com) Clean Skies News Dipka Bhambhani reports on the rise of biofuels from algae as part of the nation's energy portfolio. WATCH VIDEO
August 30, 2009 Read Full Article
Secretary Chu Announces Nearly $300 Million in Clean Cities Grants to Support Clean Fuels, Vehicles, and Infrastructure Development
Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the selection of 25 cost-share projects under the Clean Cities program that will be funded with nearly $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These projects will speed the transformation of the
August 28, 2009 Read Full Article
Applications Being Accepted for Recovery Act 1603 Cash Grants in Lieu of Tax Credits
U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Energy announced at the end of July that they would be accepting applications for a program that will make direct payments in lieu of tax credits to companies that create
August 26, 2009 Read Full Article
AdvBiofUSA Disappointed in DOE Failure to Include Advanced Biofuels in SBIR/STTR Grant Program
by Joanne Ivancic Although U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu claimed to "(emphasize) the Department’s commitment to developing near-term, clean energy technologies while allowing small businesses (to) take part in the new industrial revolution that the sustainable energy economy will bring,"
August 25, 2009 Read Full Article
DOE Announces $37 Million for Small Business Research and Technology
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that $37 million in funding from the Recovery Act will be made available to qualified small businesses through the Department’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. This funding
August 25, 2009 Read Full Article
Trillium FiberFuels Awarded $750,000 Grant to Develop Cellulosic Ethanol Technology
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has just announced the 2009 awardees of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. This award is a Phase II continuation that follows Trillium’s successful completion of Phase I during 2008 and early
August 17, 2009 Read Full Article
DOE Awards $377 Million in Funding for 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers
In a major effort to accelerate the scientific breakthroughs needed to build a new 21st-century energy economy, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the delivery of $377 million in funding for 46 new multi-million-dollar Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) located
August 12, 2009 Read Full Article
Solazyme Awarded California Energy Commission Grant to Develop Clean Fuel from Local Cellulosic Feedstocks
Solazyme, Inc., a renewable oil production company and algal biotechnology company, was awarded a $789,697 Biosynthetic Transportation Fuel Production grant from the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program. ... The PIER Program Opportunity Notice (PON) announced that
August 11, 2009 Read Full Article
DOE, USDA Grant $6.3M for Biofuel Studies
(GenomeWeb Daily News) Seven research teams at institutions around the country will use $6.3 million from the US Government to run genomics studies of plant feedstocks for biofuel production using switchgrass, sorghum, alfalfa, and others. The Department of Energy and
July 28, 2009 Read Full Article
US Dept of Energy Sets $85 Million for Development of Algal Based and Advanced Cellulosic Biofuels
DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), through the Office of the Biomass Program (OBP), announces the availability of funding for establishing Consortia for two primary topic areas - Development of Algal Based Biofuels, and Development of Advanced
July 21, 2009 Read Full Article
US Dept of Energy Office of Biomass Programs Peer Review Presentations Available
All Programs in the U.S Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, are required to conduct a Peer Review of their funded projects on an annual or biannual schedule. The Office of Biomass Program (OBP) conducts these reviews by
July 17, 2009 Read Full Article
Ohio Awards $5 Million Grant for 3rd Generation Biofuels Technology
Velocys, Inc. (“Velocys”), has been awarded a $5 million commercialisation grant, applicable over a period of two and a half years. The grant will assist in commercialising the Oxford Catalysts Group’s microchannel technology for hydro-processing − an important step in
June 01, 2009 Read Full Article
US DOE Funds Lignocellulose Research
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The newly funded Center for Lignocellulose Structure and Formation at Pennsylvania State University will be home to investigations into plant cells to produce better biomass-based fuels. The U.S. DOE will fund the center with
May 30, 2009 Read Full Article
$2.77 Million Boost from NC Biofuels Center
The Biofuels Center of North Carolina, which is tasked by the General Assembly with developing a biofuels sector in North Carolina, sets aside more than half its annual budget for grants to accelerate the technologies and feedstocks needed for a
March 11, 2009 Read Full Article
University of California Berkeley, the University of Illinois and the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Join Research Effort
(British Petroleum) BP today announced it has selected the University of California Berkeley and its partners the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to join in a $500 million research program that will explore how bioscience