The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced on September 12, 2023, that it awarded $18.6 million in funding for eight university and industry projects to develop biomass feedstocks to produce affordable biofuels and bioproducts that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to BETO, the projects “will create good-paying jobs, support rural economies, and encourage participation of underserved communities, all while putting the United States on a path to a clean and equitable energy economy.” BETO states that the selected projects support DOE’s investment in the development and production of biofuels and innovation and growth in agricultural industries and will help meet the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Grand Challenge goal of producing 35 billion gallons of low-GHG emission SAF made from domestic biomass and waste resources annually by 2050. While most biofuels are currently made from feedstocks such as corn grain and agricultural residues, forestry residues, and solid and wet waste streams, BETO notes that affordable feedstocks sources must be developed to meet the growing demand for SAFs and other low-carbon biofuels.

The selected projects will address critical bioenergy needs through two topic areas:

• Improving the production of environmentally sustainable and low-carbon feedstocks for bioenergy through climate-smart agricultural practices; and

• Developing algae crop protection methods and strategies for algae cultivation systems.