Reaction continues to pour in regarding the 19 advanced biorefinery projects that received $564 million in federal support in a DOE/USDA announcement on Friday.
The report was the subject of a special Biofuels Digest news bulletin late Friday morning, which detailed the 19 grant recipients, grant ammounts, non-federal funds in the projects, and project descriptions. The funding represents the largest single federal investment in advanced biorefineries to date.
"This unprecedented investment by DOE and USDA shows how important advanced biofuels and biobased chemicals are to the economic and energy security of the country," said Jim Greenwood, President and CEO of BIO.
A recent report by Bio Economic Research Associates (bio-era™), U.S. Economic Impact of Advanced Biofuels Production: Perspectives to 2030, found that advanced biorefineries could create 29,000 new jobs and $5.5 billion in economic growth over the next three years – and over 800,000 new jobs throughout the economy by 2022.
"Along with biofuels, renewable chemicals, plastics, and polymers are critical to the development of a sustainable domestic manufacturing sector," added Executive Vice President of BIOs Industrial and Environmental Section Brent Erickson. "These grants will help pioneering companies such as Algenol Biofuels, Amyris Biotechnologies, Elevance Renewable Sciences, Myriant Technologies (BioEnergy International) , Solazyme, and ZeaChem to attract the capital necessary to commercialize their innovative technologies. The funding could not come at a better time."
Here are some local reports and releases regarding selected projects receiving grants:
- Algenol Biofuels. "This project will make ethanol directly from carbon dioxide and seawater using algae. The facility will have the capacity to produce 100,000 gallons of fuel-grade ethanol a year," according to a DOE release. CEO Paul Woods told the News-Press that the company does not use freshwater resources and since algae is not edible, it does not compete with food crops. A local report from the News-Press adds more detail and quotes from management and local officials.
- Renewable Energy Institute International led a group that received $19.98 million for a project to produce green diesel from agriculture and forest residues using advanced pyrolysis and steam reforming. The pilot plant will have the capacity to process 25 dry tons of feedstock per day. A detailed report from Toledo is here, from the office of Toledo congresswoman Mary Kaptur.
- Sapphire Energy, which received $50 million from the DEO plus a $54.5 million loan guarantee, will cultivate algae in ponds that will ultimately be converted into green fuels, such as jet fuel and diesel, using the Dynamic Fuels refining process, in New Mexico. CEO Dr. Jason Pyle said " "President Obama and his agencies clearly understand the value of investing in advanced biorefinery projects such as the perpetuation of algae-based fuel production at our New Mexico pond facility. As the leader in producing Green Crude, Sapphire Energy is elated that the more than $104 million in funding will help us expand our groundbreaking worked which already has shown promise in commercial air test flights and a coast-to-coast car tour." Sapphire gives more details here.
- ZeaChem received $25 million for a project to use purpose-grown hybrid poplar trees to produce fuel-grade ethanol using hybrid technology. Additional feedstocks such as agricultural residues and energy crops will also be evaluated in the pilot plant. More on the project from a report in the Portland Business Journal.
For more information, visit www.biofuelsdigest.com.