Bioenergy Technologies Office Blog

Students Share Experiences from First Run of BioenergizeME Virtual Science Fair

taryn.mckinnon@ee.doe.gov — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 09:39:00 -0500

View all student infographics by clicking on website links through the BioenergizeME Virtual Science Fair map.

Last week concluded the beta run of the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) sponsored BioenergizeME Virtual Science Fair—a high school competition that has students create and share infographics about bioenergy concepts. Student teams from five high schools in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Texas teamed up to create a total of 23 infographics. Utilizing resources and materials from the Energy Department and the Library of Congress as a guide, students researched bioenergy-focused topics that included history, laws, science and technology, careers, and environmental impacts. In December, they shared their infographics over Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and local media for a two-week social media campaign.

Winners were as follows:

• First place for highest number of likes, shares, and page views—Aston, Pennsylvania’s Sun Valley High School, Science and Technology: Sustainable Transportation Fuels

• Second place for highest number of likes, shares, and page views—Birdsboro, Pennsylvania’s Daniel Boone Area High School, History of Biomass

• First place for the highest number of unique viewers reached—Belfry, Kentucky’s Belfry High School, Coal Can Be Green Too.

The Belfry High School team took the infographic research as an opportunity to brainstorm solutions to a real challenge with the coal industry in their region and contacted state officials. They were even featured on televised local media.

The social media response to the infographics varied, and many students said they were surprised by how much attention they received—garnering likes, comments, and shares from scientists, science enthusiasts and organizations, as well as friends, family, and classmates. Students were excited to be recognized as members of the bioenergy community, and they came away from the competition with greater exposure to the bioindustry overall. Many said that the most interesting thing they learned was that a certain amount of renewable fuel is required by law to be blended into gasoline in the United States (the Renewable Fuel Standard). Students also stated they were interested in the potential environmental benefits of bioenergy.

BETO staff were impressed with the hard work and research these students put into their infographics, and they are excited for what the next generation of the bioenergy workforce will bring to the industry. The results and feedback from this beta run of the competition will help BETO prepare for its next run of the competition in the spring. The purpose of the competition is to increase energy literacy and help students become more informed consumers of energy information.

See resources through the BioenergizeME Education and Workforce Development page, and contact BioenergizeME@ee.doe.gov if you are an educator interested in participating.

A Virtual Visit to Bioenergy Research at the National Laboratories

taryn.mckinnon@ee.doe.gov — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 16:25:00 -0400

Note: This post originally ran on the EERE blog.

Watch researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory describe their bioenergy research funded by the Energy Department.

For National Bioenergy Day on October 22, bioenergy facilities across the country are holding open houses to increase public awareness of bioenergy and its role in the clean energy landscape. By the same token, the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is offering this virtual open house of its national laboratories—the facilities at the core of BETO’s research and development.

If you want to know how Energy Department bioenergy funding is making an impact, be sure to take a look at our national labs—47% of BETO funding this past year went to the national laboratories. Of that funding, about half went to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory also received a large share.

Altogether, 11 of the Energy Department’s 17 national laboratories conduct bioenergy research. These national laboratories are partners with BETO in setting strategic goals to solve clean energy challenges. Let’s take a virtual visit to four labs leading the way in bioenergy research (percentage of BETO national lab funding shown for each) and learn about some of their recent accomplishments.

NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY (49%)

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in Golden, Colorado, is the federal laboratory dedicated to renewable energy. NREL focuses its bioenergy research on biofuel conversion technologies and bringing these technologies to the market. In February, NREL announced the development of a unique bioreactor that can help determine the ideal location for farms to produce algae as an alternative transportation fuel. In June, NREL researchers identified an enzyme that could significantly reduce the cost of producing biofuel. In September, NREL published a report on a conversion pathway for making biofuel from algae. Watch this video to learn more about NREL’s role in the bioeconomy.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST NATIONAL LABORATORY (15%)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington, is the Energy Department’s premier chemistry laboratory. It focuses a large amount of research and development on catalysis—the use of a catalyst to speed the rate of a chemical reaction. Catalysis is an important part of conversion processes for biofuels (see this video, also featured at the top of this post). For algae, PNNL developed a process for algae to bio-crude oil in less than 60 minutes and published a report in September on an innovative algae conversion pathway. See PNNL’s Institute for Integrated Catalysis Transformations newsletter for recent accomplishments, and watch this video about PNNL’s work to create alternative biofuels for jet engines.

IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY (13%)

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) focuses on nuclear energy, national homeland security, and energy and the environment. Its bioenergy research concentrates on transforming raw biomass from agricultural waste and energy crops into feedstocks that can be used for specific biofuel conversion processes. Its Bioenergy Biomass Feedstock National User Facility demonstrates biomass processing and analysis and hosts site visits for leaders from Congress, the community, and industry. INL published an article in April that detailed how to utilize high-moisture biomass as a feedstock. Watch this video to learn more about how INL addresses feedstock challenges.

OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY (10%)

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was established in 1943 as part of the World War II Manhattan Project. It has a broad portfolio of bioenergy research through the ORNL Bioenergy Technologies Program and the BioEnergy Science Center, including feedstocks supply and logistics, bioenergy sustainability, conversion of biomass to biofuels, and advanced genomics. In July, ORNL researchers won an R&D Magazine R&D 100 Award for their invention of a new class of membranes that could help reduce the price of drop-in fuel derived from bio-oils. Watch this video to learn about ORNL’s bioenergy research.

To continue your virtual visit, watch videos about the bioenergy research at four other Energy Department national labs: Argonne National Laboratory (6% of BETO national laboratory funding), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (4%), Los Alamos National Laboratory (2%), and Sandia National Laboratory (1%).

Together, these national laboratories are working with the Energy Department to develop a commercially viable biofuels and bioproducts industry that will increase U.S. national security, drive economic growth and create new jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Look out for more news on these national labs on the EERE Blog. To learn more about the Bioenergy Technologies Program Office, visit its website.

How the Energy Department Helped Make Project LIBERTY Possible

taryn.mckinnon@ee.doe.gov — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 11:11:00 -0400

Watch this video clip to catch a glimpse of how POET-DSM’s Project LIBERTY produces cellulosic ethanol.

The United States now has its second commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol biorefinery—the first to produce the cellulosic ethanol from corn waste—thanks in part to $100 million in Energy Department funding, and investment that began seven years ago. The grand opening of POET-DSM’s biorefinery Project LIBERTY, in Emmetsburg, Iowa, on September 3, 2014, was a big step toward Energy Department goals to reduce imports of foreign oil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and build the U.S. economy. Project LIBERTY is designed to produce 25 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year, which is enough to avoid approximately 210,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. During the construction of Project LIBERTY, POET employed approximately 300 workers; 56 permanent workers will be employed at the facility and 65 indirect jobs will be established throughout the supply chain.

Starting with a policy and a cost-shared investment, the Energy Department helped to move ethanol from corn waste production from an idea to a reality faster than the private industry could alone. Here’s how:

The Energy Policy Act of 2005: This bill, passed by U.S. Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush, authorized the Secretary of Energy to carry out a commercial-scale biorefinery program and fund each biorefinery up to $100 million. The overall purpose of the bill was to foster secure and affordable energy, and the Administration recognized that investing in biorefineries would help move our nation toward energy independence. Producing ethanol in the United States and blending it with petroleum fuel means we can import less foreign oil—increasing our overall energy security. Government investment in integrated biorefineries has helped lower the risk of this first-of-a-kind technology—bridging the gap to commercialization by making cellulosic ethanol more affordable. Project LIBERTY was one of the biorefineries selected to receive funding.

The Energy Department’s Role: Beginning in 2007, POET-DSM’s Project LIBERTY received $100 million in Energy Department investment—$12 million for design work and the remaining $88 million for construction of the facility (see more with the Project LIBERTY infographic). When POET began this endeavor, it was already managing 14 corn ethanol plants across the country, but Project LIBERTY is its first cellulosic ethanol plant. Energy Department funding directly decreased the private-sector investment risk that is common when commercializing a first-of-a-kind process. The funding also showed government support, which helped POET attract investors and further decrease risk.

A Team Effort: Although POET-DSM received $100 million in Energy Department funding, it was required to provide a minimum of 60% cost share (i.e., cover at least 60% of project costs through non-federal funding). In 2012, POET teamed up in a joint venture with Royal DSM, a global science-based company. POET also received smaller funding amounts from other government entities—$20 million in grants from the State of Iowa for capital costs and feedstock logistics and $2.6 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a separate project to establish a network for delivering the corn crop residue that Project LIBERTY uses to produce the biofuel.

Now, seven years after it first started receiving Energy Department funding, the nation has its first commercial-scale biorefinery to use corn waste as a feedstock. Project LIBERTY is the second Energy Department-supported biorefinery to come online; last year, INEOS opened the nation’s first commercial-scale biorefinery in Vero Beach, Florida, and Abengoa’s Hugoton biorefinery (which also has received funding under the Energy Policy Act of 2005) will celebrate its grand opening on October 17, 2014. Together, these three facilities will have a combined production capacity of more than 50 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year.

See the integrated biorefineries map for all integrated biorefinery projects managed by the Energy Department’s Bioenergy Technologies Office.

Growing the Future Bioeconomy with Biomass 2014

taryn.mckinnon@ee.doe.gov — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 09:03:00 -0400

How does the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) help grow the bioeconomy? By bringing together bioenergy professionals from innovative companies, universities, national laboratories, government agencies, and non-profit organizations from across the nation to explore the critical challenges and key opportunities for the bioenergy industry. This year, 580 industry professionals attended Biomass 2014 in Washington, D.C.

BETO Deputy Director Valerie Reed addresses Biomass 2014 attendees (left); the Plenary II panel discusses policy challenges and opportunities (right).

BETO Announcements

During the two-day conference, both Assistant Secretary David Danielson and Deputy Assistant Secretary Reuben Sarkar made announcements about Energy Department initiatives to advance the bioenergy industry. Dr. Danielson opened the conference by announcing that the Energy Department joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Federal Aviation Administration, and the commercial airline industry in Farm to Fly 2.0—an initiative to develop a commercially viable aviation biofuel industry for the United States. The next morning, Sarkar announced up to $11.3 million for two projects aimed at advancing the production of cost-competitive, high-performance carbon fiber material from renewable, non-food-based feedstocks. Carbon fiber—a lightweight material that can replace steel—can lower the cost of fuel-efficient vehicles.

Representatives are recognized as funding award recipients (left) and for joining Farm to Fly 2.0 (right).

Keynote Speakers

Biomass 2014 welcomed high-profile speakers, including from Congress, the White House, the Navy, and industry for keynote addresses and breakout sessions.

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) reminded us of ethanol’s historical roots with Henry Ford’s 1896 ethanol-run automobile, and she explained how including energy in the Farm bill was a high priority for her: “We need to make and grow our fuel here.”

Federal Environmental Executive Kate Brandt explained how the U.S. federal government—as the single largest consumer of both energy and fuel—is working to increase the efficiency and sustainability of its own energy usage. Since 2008, the federal government has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 17%, to which Brandt noted, “…much of that is thanks to our partnership with all of you in bioenergy and biobased products.”

Captain James Goudreau and Deputy Director Byron Paez of the U.S. Navy said transitioning to renewable fuels is also a priority of the U.S. Navy, which uses roughly 30 million barrels of fuel a year. Goudreau noted that, since Nixon, U.S. presidents have emphasized the importance of reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil for our national security. “That need has not reduced. It has not changed. It has not gone away,” he said.

Catherine Woteki, USDA’s chief scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics said USDA plays multiple roles in the growth of the bioeconomy through its several agencies and programs authorized by the Farm Bill.

LanzaTech CEO, Jennifer Holmgren, commented on the progression of the bioenergy industry, saying that bioenergy is on the “road to awesome” and that the future of energy depends on it. She said the next frontier is to “conquer carbon” by finding better ways of using it.

Paul Woods, Founder and CEO of Algenol Biofuels, Inc., described the success story of algae to fuel by saying that “the near-term commercialization of algae to biofuels is directly linked” to the Energy Department.

Presentations from these and other keynote and breakout speakers will be available through the Biomass 2014 Web page.

The Future of the Conference

Biomass 2014 became the stage to premier the 10-minute film, “Bioenergy: America’s Energy Future,” which tells the story of innovators helping to drive the bioenergy industry forward. Beyond looking to the future of the industry, BETO made a key announcement about the future of its annual biomass conference—next year, to better align with the office name and vision, the conference will be changing its name to Bioenergy 2015. And, with its new name, comes a new logo, which was unveiled at the conference.

This year’s conference proved to be a great platform for industry leaders to engage and discuss what the future has in store for bioenergy, and the future is bright. In an interactive poll asking what factors inhibit the growth of the advanced biofuels industry, the most attendees agreed with the statement “Nothing is holding us back—the industry is about to take off!” We at BETO are thrilled about the excitement and dedication of the attendees and presenters at Biomass 2014. We look forward to seeing you at Bioenergy 2015!

An American Bioeconomy: Our Green Future Is Now!

taryn.mckinnon@ee.doe.gov — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 12:21:00 -0400

Biomass is the most abundant biological material on the planet. It is renewable; it grows almost everywhere; and it provides fuel, power, chemicals, and many other products. But most people don’t know that biomass is a major part of the U.S. economy. This bioeconomy—the economic, environmental, and social activities associated with the production and use of biomass-derived products—is growing.

The bioconomy has about a $100 billion direct and indirect impact on the U.S. economy today. (Image courtesy of Myriant.)

Biomass resources have incredible potential for our country. Investing in a national bioeconomy allows us the opportunity to create new U.S. jobs. The current bioeconomy employs close to half a million people in the United States, and the potential exists to triple this figure in the next 15 years. Furthermore, expanding biofuels technologies will create a stable, domestic supply of energy—reducing the vast amount of money spent importing oil from overseas and increasing our country’s national security.

Biomass is sustainably grown on our nation’s farms and woodlots, or captured from waste streams. This green resource helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, under appropriate management strategies and practices, improves the conservation and stewardship of our natural resources. Biomass offers a unique opportunity to expand American investment in the national economy, from developments in our rural communities to innovations in U.S. technology and manufacturing sectors. The impact that the bioeconomy has on our nation should not be underestimated.

Currently, the bioeconomy has about a $100 billion direct and indirect impact on the U.S. economy. Just over 11% of America’s energy production is renewable, and 5.5% is from biomass. Our current biomass consumption is about 200 million dry tons. The United States has the potential to sustainably produce more than one billion tons of biomass annually, providing our country with opportunities to grow biomass and the bioeconomy. Our nation has the land, resources, and technology to enable a green tomorrow. Advancing the bioeconomy will allow us to bring a broad spectrum of new jobs and economic opportunity back home to America. And there is no need to wait because the future is now—our current bioeconomy is strong, and it is constantly growing.

The expanding bioeconomy is a major theme that the Biomass Research & Development Board (BR&D) has been exploring. It is also this year’s theme for the Bioenergy Technologies Office’s annual conference—Biomass 2014: Growing the Future Bioeconomy—from July 29-30. Hear from BR&D co-chairs: Dr. David Danielson, U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; and Dr. Catherine Woteki, Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Research, Education, and Economics mission area, about the numerous ways that renewable biomass factors into the U.S. economy. At Biomass 2014, speakers from all levels of the government, industry, and the research community will join in recognizing the importance that biomass can have in building the U.S. economy.

Additionally, the conference will feature a wide range of sessions focused on mainstays of any substantial bioeconomy. From the economic advantage of bioproducts, to the potential of waste feedstocks, to understanding the importance of the global market, Biomass 2014 is an event you will not want to miss. Also, catch the July 31 workshop on opportunities to expand the bioeconomy, hosted at the Washington, D.C., Convention Center.

Jump-Start Your Career with the Bioenergy Industry

taryn.mckinnon@ee.doe.gov — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 11:42:00 -0400

Are you a recent college graduate looking to jump-start your career? Bioenergy is a dynamic and emerging field, and whether you majored in engineering or English, science or political science, business or biology, there are numerous possibilities to use your skills and education in the industry. See examples below of how people have put their degrees to work in the bioenergy field.

Many fields of study can lead to a career in the bioenergy industry. (Image courtesy of BCS, Incorporated.)

Business & Marketing
Bioenergy is an emerging new industry, and it needs start-ups, small businesses, and innovative entrepreneurs to get it off the ground. The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) helps to fund integrated biorefineries at private companies such as Abengoa, POET, and Haldor Topsoe. You could be a business analyst, marketing and sales specialist, or manager of business operations at a bioenergy plant or other private business along the bioenergy supply chain.

Biology & Chemistry, Math & Engineering
Staying on the cutting edge of new scientific research was one of the things that attracted Dan Fishman and Leslie Pezzullo to their jobs as BETO technology managers. Fishman studied environmental science and developed a mathematical model of microalgae populations. Now he is on the forefront of newly developing processes in BETO’s Algae Program, such as converting algae to bio-oil in 60 seconds. Pezzullo studied chemical engineering and manages the development of a variety of biochemical technologies within the Biochemical Conversion Program. Scientists and engineers like Fishman and Pezzullo are essential to research centers, the national laboratories, and bioenergy companies.

Information Technology & Computer Science
Researchers, policymakers, and private industry need computer programmers and designers to create online tools and databases. For example, the Bioenergy Knowledge Discovery Framework (KDF), developed by programmers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, allows researchers to contribute and analyze data using maps and other online tools. Computer programmers are needed across the industry wherever digital resources are developed.

Political Science & Public Policy
The U.S. federal government works across agencies to coordinate research and development activities to grow the bioenergy industry. Ashley Rose, a BETO consultant, uses her dual degrees in political economy and law, along with political science-American politics, to help facilitate interagency government work in renewable fuels through the Biomass Research and Development Board. Supporting the Board, she is able to foster the collaboration of bioenergy research in the Energy Department, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other agencies. Other career opportunities with these focuses are available with the government, national laboratories, and policy organizations.

English & Communications
National laboratories, for-profit biofuel companies, and non-profit bioenergy organizations need professional communications staff to help provide outreach and messaging to stakeholders and the public. BETO communications specialist Leslie Ovard thought she had to choose in college between her love for English and her love for environmental science policy, but now both have merged together in her position at BETO. In a technical field such as bioenergy, Ovard says that skilled communicators with technical knowledge are especially valuable.

Whether your degree is in science or liberal arts, whether you want to work at a national laboratory or for-profit company, there is a place for you in the bioenergy industry. Find out more about how the industry comes together with many different professions when industry leaders and experts come together for BETO’s Biomass 2014: Growing the Future Bioeconomy, July 29–30, 2014, in Washington, D.C. Follow conference coverage on the Bioenergy KDF Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and join in the conversation with our conference hashtag: #Biomass2014.

Imagine Tomorrow: Student Competition Leads to Innovative Biofuel Ideas

taryn.mckinnon@ee.doe.gov — Wed, 28 May 2014 10:41:00 -0400

The Bioenergy Technologies Office’s (BETO’s) Leslie Ovard will be a judge for the biofuels challenge in this weekend’s Imagine Tomorrow student competition, and one BETO-selected project will get the opportunity to present at Biomass 2014! Read more below from the EERE Blog:

Watch a video about the Imagine Tomorrow competition.

Can you imagine if solar panels could be used to grow algae for fuel? Or if your morning coffee could not only get your day started, but also serve as a viable, plant-based source for biofuel? These are just a few of the award-winning innovative ideas that high school student teams came up with as part of the annual Imagine Tomorrow competition.

Imagine Tomorrow, a competition hosted by Washington State University, brings together teams from across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana to develop creative, well-researched solutions to complex energy challenges. Student teams select one of four topics to address, including biofuels. For example, Cascade High School solved its project challenge by using solar panels and four 85-liter tanks to cultivate algae for biofuel production. A Moscow High School team’s “unconventional biofuels” project involved not only demonstrating coffee extraction methods for biofuels production, but also featured a cost-benefit analysis, business plan, and environmental assessment.

This year’s Imagine Tomorrow competition is providing a new opportunity for student teams addressing the biofuels challenge topic. The Energy Department’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) will select a team to present its project at the Biomass 2014 conference in Washington, D.C. this July. Submissions are in, and the competition will culminate this weekend, with student teams pitching their projects to a panel of experts at Washington State University’s campus in Pullman.

The project selected to go to Biomass 2014 will align with BETO’s mission to develop commercially viable biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower, as well as address one of BETO’s focus areas—feedstock supply and logistics, conversion technologies, or sustainability.

“We’re really looking forward to having the future leaders of the bioeconomy coming to Biomass 2014,” said BETO Director Jonathan Male. Check EERE Blog and Facebook for more coverage of the Imagine Tomorrow competition and learn more about how BETO is helping the bioenergy industry move our nation toward energy independence.

BETO Celebrates Earth Day, Every Day

taryn.mckinnon@ee.doe.gov — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 10:55:00 -0400

One day a year, Americans celebrate the Earth and often think about what they’re doing to help protect the environment in which we live. Here at the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), every day is Earth Day, and mitigating the impacts petroleum use has on climate change is one of the primary reasons why BETO and its partners work every day to develop a domestic biomass industry.[1]

BETO is committed to developing sustainable sources of renewable energy that displace fossil fuels, enhance energy security, promote environmental benefits, and create economic opportunities (Image courtesy of BCS, Incorporated)

At BETO, we research, develop, and demonstrate new technologies and processes to create biofuels and bioproducts from biomass—an energy resource derived from organic matter. Biomass can include leftover stalks, stems, and leaves from corn plants and other crops, as well as grasses, forest residues, algae, and solid waste, which can be converted to biofuel and bioproducts through chemical and thermal processes. BETO’s ongoing investments to develop biomass-based alternatives to reduce or replace petroleum lead to many potential environmental benefits:

Benefitting the Land: Growing biomass for biofuels has the potential to improve the quality of the land on which they are grown by reducing the potential for soil erosion and restoring soil carbon levels that are essential for maintained crop productivity. BETO’s Sustainability Program conducts applied research to identify and measure the potential environmental, social, and economic benefits from biomass growth and bioenergy use.

Decreasing Carbon Pollution: Utilizing biomass-based products and fuels helps to cut carbon pollution, which keeps our air and water clean. Biofuels have a lower net greenhouse gas impact than petroleum-based fuels because biomass absorbs carbon dioxide as it grows—offsetting the emissions from the biofuel it produces. In the fossil fuels supply chain, greenhouse gases are not naturally reabsorbed, contributing to increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Managing Water Resources: BETO works with partners to conduct research and analyses on water quality and to minimize the impact of biofuels production on water resources. Water resource management is a part of a broader effort to assess and monitor sustainability.

As Earth Day comes and goes, BETO will continue its daily celebration—working with our partners to develop an environmentally responsible biofuels industry. Happy Earth Day!

[1] The purpose of BETO’s portfolio is also to stimulate the economy, improve the U.S. trade balance, and increase energy security, as outlined in BETO’s Office Overview, “Replacing the Whole Barrel: To Reduce U.S. Dependence on Oil,” July 2013, p. 4.

FY 2015 Bioenergy Technologies Office Budget Request Released

taryn.mckinnon@ee.doe.gov — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 07:46:00 -0400

On March 14, 2014, President Obama's complete Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Congressional Budget Request for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) was publicly released. The request includes $253.2 million for the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) to continue its work catalyzing the development of a domestic capability to produce price-competitive, renewable fuels from non-food biomass resources (see BETO's Multi-Year Program Plan). BETO’s funding represents 11% of the $2.3 billion requested for DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and 0.9% of the $27.9 billion requested for DOE.

FY 2015 budget requests for DOE, EERE, and BETO

DOE's budget request aligns with the President's all-of-the-above energy strategy to keep the United States at the forefront of science and technology innovation to establish a secure and clean energy system that mitigates the impact of climate change. The request significantly focuses on following the President's Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to 17% below 2005 levels by 2020.

As outlined in Volume 3 of the Budget Justification and in Bioenergy Technologies Office FY 2015 Budget at-a-Glance, BETO's FY 2015 budget request supports the following investments:

Demonstration and Development ($105 million): The FY 2015 budget puts greater emphasis on demonstration and deployment than FY 2014 and FY 2013 budgets in order to initiate new pilot- and demonstration-scale projects. In July 2013, a Florida integrated biorefinery developed by INEOS Bio and partially funded by BETO began producing the first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol in U.S. history. In 2014, two other commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol biorefineries are expected to complete construction: POET's Liberty facility near Emmetsburg, Iowa, and Abengoa's biorefinery near Hugoton, Kansas. These two facilities are expected to have an ethanol production capacity of more than 50 million gallons per year. BETO will also continue support for military-specification jet fuel in collaboration with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Agriculture through the Defense Production Act.

Conversion Technologies ($100.5 million): In FY 2013 and FY 2014, BETO met technical research targets for the thermochemical conversion pathway—reaching a minimum fuel selling price of $5.6 gasoline gallon equivalent for a gasoline and diesel blendstock. In FY 2015, BETO will continue to develop conversion pathways to work toward the biofuel cost target of $3 per gasoline gallon equivalent. In FY 2015, at least two conversion pathways will be selected for validation at integrated bench and pilot scales in FY 2017. BETO will also issue funding opportunity announcements for consortia to further integrate bio-oils into petroleum refineries, to develop biological and chemical catalysts and clean sugar production, and to resolve issues with gasification and gas to liquids identified in FY 2014 workshops. Incubator and carbon fiber activities will also continue.

Feedstocks & Algae ($30.5 million): The budget request for feedstocks includes feedstock production and logistics ($16.5 million) and algae research and development ($14 million).

Feedstock production and logistics—In FY 2013, BETO's five high-tonnage feedstock logistics projects demonstrated significant cost reduction for feedstock utilization, including a $13 per ton cost reduction for baled corn stover. An FY 2015 priority is to develop strategies, technologies, and systems that can sustainably provide feedstock to a conversion reactor for a total cost of no more than $80 per dry ton by FY 2017. BETO efforts will also focus on integrating environmental sustainability and quality criteria into biomass supply assessments for crop residues, energy crops, and forest resources, as well as down-selecting feedstock blend formulation for the thermochemical oils pathway based on ash and moisture content, carbon levels, and other characteristics.

Algae research and development—BETO's FY 2022 algae productivity target is to reach 5,200 gallons of biofuel intermediate per acre of algae cultivation per year. FY 2015 priorities are to lay the foundation to reach this target by pursuing research that leverages capabilities at algae testbed facilities. BETO will increase efforts in quantitative analysis to mitigate the risk of technology options; the Office will also develop a more targeted approach to overcome barrier areas identified through techno-economic analysis and stage-gate reviews.

The decrease in funding for feedstocks (compared to $47 million in FY 2014) is due to greater reliance on feedstock production research activities at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as fully funding competitive feedstock logistics projects in FY 2013 and FY 2014.

Strategic Analysis and Cross-Cutting Sustainability ($11 million): There is a minor decrease in this funding area from FY 2014 and results from fully funding analysis projects in FY 2013 and FY 2014. Goals for strategic analysis and cross-cutting sustainability in FY 2015 are to coordinate with logistics and conversion research and development areas to set targets for minimizing greenhouse gas emissions, air pollutants, and consumptive water use for at least three renewable hydrocarbon pathways by FY 2016. Analyses addressing critical industry, market, and policy questions will inform program planning. The first annual bioenergy market report will be published in FY 2015.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Site-Wide Facility Support ($6.2 million): NREL funding is allocated across program offices in EERE. Increased funds for FY 2015 are a result of changes in methodology used to allocate site-wide facility funding. NREL is DOE's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development.

BETO-Funded Biorefinery Fuels Racecars in TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Series

taryn.mckinnon@ee.doe.gov — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 10:50:00 -0400

At the "12 Hours of Sebring" racing event March 12–15, NASCAR's International Motor Sports Association announced INEOS Bio as the supplier of cellulosic ethanol to racecars in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship series. INEOS Bio's Indian River BioEnergy Center, which is located in Vero Beach, Florida, was funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO). The nation's first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol biorefinery, the INEOS Center began production in July 2013, setting an important benchmark in biofuels history. This achievement comes as a result of nearly 20 years of collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and shows great promise for renewable fuel production in the United States.

BETO Director Jonathan Male attended the race and published the following post March 17, 2014, on the EERE Blog:

Green Racing Series Revs Engines with Renewable Fuel from INEOS Bio

This past weekend, the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship series pumped up its sustainability efforts at the 12 Hours of Sebring race in Florida with the help of Energy Department-funded renewable fuels. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Mike Carr and I were fortunate enough to represent the Energy Department at events surrounding the race, and speak with the media and stakeholders about the Department's support for the Green Racing initiative. On Friday, NASCAR's International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), a Green Racing partner, announced Florida-based integrated biorefinery INEOS Bio as the supplier of clean, renewable cellulosic ethanol to racecars participating in the TUDOR Championship, which IMSA sanctions.

A racecar heads into the pits for refueling during the 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida. Photo by Natalie Committee, Department of Energy.

Last year, INEOS Bio began producing commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol for the first time in our nation's history, successfully converting wood scraps, palm fronds, and other vegetative waste into transportation fuels. The cellulosic ethanol produced at the facility is now being used by VP Racing Fuels to fuel the action at all of this year's TUDOR Championship races. The milestone highlighted a successful project with deep Energy Department roots. The project's gasification-fermentation technology–which produces fuel, heat, and power–started as a University of Arkansas research project, supported by a $5 million Energy Department investment over 15 years. The Department's early support helped this technology obtain a number of patents, with the core intellectual property purchased by INEOS Bio in 2008. In 2009, the INEOS Bio-New Planet Energy joint venture was awarded a $50 million Energy Department grant to design, construct, commission, and operate the Indian River BioEnergy Center in Vero Beach, Florida. With a $130 million total project cost, the Center created more than 400 direct construction, engineering, and manufacturing jobs during its development and has 65 current full-time employees.

Green Racing, like the 12 Hours of Sebring race I attended this weekend, is one of several ways the Energy Department is making professional motor sports more energy efficient and sustainable. In February, NASCAR and Sprint joined the growing list of employers participating in the Energy Department's EV Everywhere Workplace Charging Challenge. Last year, NASCAR and the Energy Department forged a partnership to incorporate transformative clean energy technologies into NASCAR operations. All of these efforts are increasing the use of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies on America's racetracks and highways.

Read the original post by Dr. Male on the EERE Blog.