The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office’s (BETO’s) Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium (FCIC) intends to issue in September 2024 an Industrial Partnership Call (IPC) to allow collaboration between industry stakeholders and FCIC researchers. According to BETO, research areas may include biomass supply, handling, transport, storage, preprocessing, and initial chemical conversion. To maximize the likelihood of near-term impact for industrial partners, BETO states that the FCIC seeks to fund projects that leverage existing capabilities and facilities and do not require novel model or tool development. The intended IPC will include three topic areas:

• Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) Partnerships: CRADA partnerships are targeted toward projects that partner industry stakeholders with one or more national laboratories associated with the FCIC. According to BETO, the CRADA will identify background intellectual property (IP) for all involved parties and will protect any IP developed during the project. BETO states that project areas may include feedstock supply, handling, transport, storage, preprocessing, and initial conversion to target bioproducts. Applicants must commit a minimum of 20 percent cost share to the project, which can include in-kind or cash. Projects are targeted to last up to 36 months.
• Technical Assistance Projects: BETO states that technical assistance projects are intended to provide industry stakeholders with rapid technical assistance from one national laboratory associated with the FCIC. BETO notes that projects “will not generate IP, and therefore, neither a CRADA nor cost share is required.” Projects are targeted to launch quickly and last up to six months.
• Biorefinery Technical Assistance Projects: This topic area is intended to support current biorefineries with rapid process design or operational troubleshooting from one or more national laboratories associated with the FCIC. BETO states that this opportunity is available to pilot, demonstration, or commercial scale biorefineries in the planning, design, or operating phases. Because projects will not generate IP, a CRADA is not required. Applicants must provide substantiable involvement and commit a minimum of 50 percent in-kind cost share to the project. Projects are targeted to last up to 24 months.

Applicants wishing to receive official notifications and information from the FCIC regarding this IPC should subscribe to FCIC updates. BETO states that if the IPC is released, applications will be accepted only via fcic@nrel.gov.