DOE awards $13.4M for biomass projects

Source: Amanda Peterka, E&E reporter • Posted: Friday, October 10, 2014

The Department of Energy today said it would provide up to $13.4 million in funding to five projects around the country aimed at developing advanced biofuels and other bioproducts.

The University of Wisconsin will receive the highest amount, up to $3.3 million to develop a process to produce renewable chemicals from biomass. American Process Inc., a Georgia-based company, will receive up to $3.1 million to convert sugars from plant materials into solvents in a demonstration facility.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado and Minnesota-based NatureWorks LLC will each receive up to $2.5 million. NREL will use the funding to convert biogas into muconic acid, an ingredient used in the development of bioproducts, while NatureWorks plans to develop a fermentation process to produce lactic acid from biogas.

Vertimass LLC of California will receive up to $2 million to convert ethanol into diesel, gasoline and jet fuel that can be dropped into existing fuel infrastructure.

DOE said the projects would serve to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and help advance its goal of making $3-per-gallon drop-in biofuel available by the year 2022.

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