The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has released a new request for information (RFI) for feedback related to community-scale resource and energy strategies from organic waste streams.

The RFI, titled “Community-Scale Resource and Energy Recovery from Waste Solutions,” seeks input from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders on issues related to community programs for organic waste.

EERE is requesting this information to better understand which waste-related economic, environmental, and social impacts are of highest priority to communities, how to make the Conversion Research and Development program more effective in addressing these challenges, and to identify additional technical assistance needs that are most in demand by rural communities.

Rural and urban communities face unique challenges when considering resource and energy opportunities. In many rural communities, animal manure and food waste represent the largest fractions (by mass and volume) of organic wastes that are generated. Some fraction of these streams can be used within the community as sources of fertilizer or compost. Conversely, in urban communities, municipal wastewater residuals, fats/oils/greases, and food waste are the dominant waste streams that require management. However, regardless of community size, treatment, transportation, and disposal costs for these waste streams are increasing for a variety of reasons.

For the purposes of this RFI, BETO is particularly interested in the following organic waste streams:

  • Dairy manure
  • Swine manure
  • Food waste
  • Municipal wastewater residuals
  • Fats/oils/greases

Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically to CommunityWasteRFI@ee.doe.gov no later than 5 p.m. ET on March 11, 2022. In addition to, or in lieu of, providing written responses to this RFI, respondents may request a 30-minute individual discussion with a BETO staff member via CommunityWasteRFI@ee.doe.gov. View the full RFI on EERE Exchange or Grants.gov.