The US Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has announced the selection of two projects totaling more than US$2 million for its Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF).
The TCF facilitates stronger partnerships among DOE facilities, private sector companies, and other entities with the goal of getting more clean energy technologies to the marketplace.
The projects selected were chosen from one of two topic areas:
- DOE Facility-developed technologies that have commercial promise and the potential to attract a private partner.
- Technologies for which DOE Facilities have already identified a commercial partner willing to execute a partnership agreement.
Both BETO projects were selected from the second topic area and will work to develop technology pathways that include a specific feedstock or feedstocks and conversion technology combination to produce a product slate of biofuels and/or bioproducts.
Priority for BETO TCF project selections was given to:
- Commercialization of technology pathways leading to the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with low carbon intensity as the primary product.
- Other technologies producing chemicals or other products with the potential for near-term commercialization and significant greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions.
BETO selected the following projects:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), CogniTek Management Systems, Inc., and Evoqua Water Technologies – are partnering to convert lignocellulosic agricultural waste into sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and hydrogen.
National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) and BioPrincipia are partnering to scale up NREL’s 2,3-butanediol fermentation process for low-carbon biopolymers.
The activities funded through this opportunity will mobilize public clean energy investment in the biofuel, chemical, and agricultural industries; accelerate the deployment of bioenergy technologies; and support the Biden Administration’s goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) supports research, development, and demonstration to enable the sustainable use of domestic biomass and waste resources for the production of biofuels and bioproducts.
BETO coordinated with DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) to make funding available for 2022 through the Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF) which is coordinated by OTT.
