DOE Announces Start Of Applications For Mega-Bio: Bioproducts To Enable Biofuels

On February 8, 2016, DOE announced up to $11.3 million to fund the development of flexible biomass-to-hydrocarbon biofuels conversion pathways that can produce biofuels or bioproducts based on market demands. BETO has a goal of meeting the cost target of $3/gallon gasoline equivalent (gge) for renewable hydrocarbon fuels produced from lignocellulosic biomass by 2022 and this funding opportunity should identify research and development (R&D) projects that will further this goal. There are two topic areas for this research:

• Early Technology Readiness Level (TRL) (TRL 2-3) R&D to optimize one unit operation of the proposed conversion pathway.
   
• Middle Technology Readiness Level (TRL 4-5) R&D to optimize and integrate multiple unit operations of the proposed conversion pathway.

Applicants should submit a concept paper by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on February 26, 2016, to be eligible to submit a full application by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on April 15, 2016. An informational webinar will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on February 16, 2016, for potential applicants.