WASHINGTON, DC — The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the selection of 22 projects that will receive $25,480,628 for the Biomass Research and Development Initiative. Including the cost sharing of the private sector partners, the total value of the projects is nearly $38 million. The funds will be used for biomass research, development and demonstration projects.

The joint grant program is part of the Bush Administration’s effort to increase America’s energy independence through the development of additional renewable energy resources from the agricultural and agroforestry sectors. Increased demand for production and processing of biomass will support traditional US commodities such as corn, as well as create new cash crops for America’s farmers and foresters. A new bioindustry will also encourage better use of agricultural and forestry residues, such as woody biomass. Furthermore, new processing facilities resulting from this increased demand will help stimulate rural communities and economies.

“Our agencies have been working  together over the last few years to promote our nation’s biomass resources, which we believe will enhance our energy security, provide for a cleaner environment, and help to revitalize America’s rural economy,” said Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham. “The projects announced today will move us closer to our goal of establishing biorefineries that produce power, fuels, chemicals and other valuable products.”

"Biomass research, development and demonstration projects, including those with special emphasis on forestry products, support the President's goal to enhance renewable energy supplies,” said Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman.  “Developing alternative energy sources that reduce pollution and increase energy security is an important part of the Administration's overall energy policy. These grants will help develop additional renewable energy resources and expand markets for agricultural products."

In December, 2003, President Bush signed the Healthy Forest Restoration Act, which was aimed at reducing forest fire risks by making productive use of thinnings from forest lands. These efforts will yield cellulosic materials in the form of brush and small diameter trees that could be converted into multiple forms of fuel.

The Biomass R&D Act of 2000 and the 2002 Farm Bill set the framework for interagency cooperation and joint solicitations.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy coordinated efforts to issue a joint solicitation that is awarding over $13 million in USDA funding and over $12 million from DOE appropriations. More than 400 applications, divided into eight unique technical topic areas, were submitted in response to the solicitation. The selection process involved multiple reviewers from each agency.

Following is a list of the 22 selected projects and the dollar amount funded. Additional information on each project can be found at http://www.bioproducts-bioenergy.gov/.

Department of Energy Projects

Southern Research Institute (Birmingham Ala. –Trace-Metal Scavenging from Biomass Syngas with Novel High-Temperature Sorbents - $769,376

Research Triangle Institute (Research Triangle Park, N.C.) – Biomass Gas Cleanup Using a Therminator - $2,000,000

Gas Technology Institute (Des Plaines, Ill.) – Engineering New Catalysts for In-Process Elimination of Tars - $1,995,932

Bioengineering Resources Inc. (Fayetteville, Ark.) – Thermochemical Conversion of Corn Stover - $1,989,365

Antares Group Inc. (Landover, Md.) Catalytic Hydrothermal Gasification for Eastman Kingsport Chemical Production - $1,142,925

Weyerhaeuser Company (Vanceboro, N.C.) – Advancement of High Temperature Black Liquor Gasification Technology - $1,078,080

Princeton University (Princeton, N. J.) – Cost-Benefit Analysis of Gasification for Fuels/Chemicals Production at Kraft Pulp Mills - $552,620

University of Utah (Salt Lake City, Utah) Investigation of Pressurized Entrained Flow Draft Black Liquor Gasification in an industrially Relevant Environment - $779,069

Rohm and Haas Co. (Spring House, Pa.) – New Sustainable Chemistry for Adhesives, Elastomers and Foams - $2,000,000

Department of Agriculture projects

University of Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.) – Integrated Size Reduction and Separation to Pre-Fractionate Biomass - $717,399

Imperial Young Farmers & Ranch (Imperial, Neb.) – Biomass Opportunity for Imperial Nebraska Region: - $2,000,000

Iowa State University (Ames Iowa) – Integrated Feedstock Supply Systems for Corn Stover Biomass - $1,999,724

Membrane Technology and Research, Inc. (Menlo Park, Calif.) – BioSep:  A New Ethanol Recovery Technology for Small-Scale rural Production of Ethanol from Biomass - $1,032,045

Mississippi State University, Forest Products Department (Starkville, Miss.) – Development of a Wood Preservation System from Wood BioOil Fractions - $1,409, 011

Technology Management, Inc. (Cleveland, Ohio) –Fuel Cell Systems Operating on 100% Bio-Liquid Fuels - $965,161

Watershed Research and Training Center (Hayfork, Calif.) - Hayfork Biomass Utilization and Value Added Model for Rural Development - $503,400

USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station – (Asheville, N.C.) – Technology Transfer and Education Programs for the Southern US - $1,000,001

Southern Forest Research Partnership, Inc. (Athens, Ga.) – Sustainable Forestry for Bioenergy and Biobased Products - $1,000,000

University of Minnesota (Brainerd, Minn.) – Development of Existing Biomass Resources through Education of Key Supply Bottlenecks - $397,711

Electric Power Research Institute (Palo Alto, Calif.) – Small-scale, Biomass Fired Gas Turbine Plants Suitable for Distributed and Mobil Power Generation - $241,933

North Carolina State University (Raleigh, N.C.) – Development of Workable Incentive Systems for Biobased Products, Biofuels and Biopower - $450,000

New Energy Solutions, Inc. (Pittsfield, Mass.) – Design and Demonstration of a Commercial Prototype for Onsite Production of High Purity Hydrogen from Farm Animal Wastes - $1,456,931

Media contacts:
Chris Kielich, DOE, 202/586-5806
Alisa Harrison, USDA, 202/720-4623