The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to provide federal funding to Bluestem Biosciences, Inc. (Bluestem) to develop and test a novel advanced manufacturing process utilizing biobased feedstocks to produce butyl acrylate.
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
June 1, 2026
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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to provide federal funding to Bluestem Biosciences, Inc. (Bluestem) to develop and test a novel advanced manufacturing process utilizing biobased feedstocks to produce butyl acrylate.
The proposed award activities would include data analysis, modeling, design, techno-economic analysis, laboratory research, and kilo-scale continuous operation testing. Bluestem (Omaha, NE) would provide oversight and direction. Michigan State University (MSU; Midland, MI; Lansing, MI) would ferment 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) from corn-derived feed, isolate various grades of 3-HP for testing, convert isolated 3-HP into acrylic acid, and convert the intermediate acrylic acid into butyl acrylate through esterification.