Register Now for Bioenergy 2016!

Register now for Bioenergy 2016: Mobilizing the Bioeconomy through Innovation. Hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE's) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), this annual event brings together more than 600 stakeholders each year from the bioenergy industry, Congress, national laboratories, academia, and the financial community. This year's conference will focus on opportunities to grow future feedstock supplies and break through technology barriers to achieve a stronger bioeconomy. Please visit the Bioenergy 2016 web page for more information on registering and booking discounted hotel accommodations. To learn more about the speakers, check out the updated agenda and Confirmed Speakers web page. Register by June 17 and save $75 on general public admission.

Looking to get more involved in the conference? Researchers, teachers and students, public and private organizations, and members of the general public are invited to submit poster abstracts for the Bioenergy 2016 Interactive Poster Session. Please submit abstracts by June 3, 2016. For more information, visit the Poster Session web page.

BETO Announces $90 Million for the Design and Construction of Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biopower Facilities

The United States spends approximately $1 billion every 3 days on imported oil. To reduce dependence on foreign oil and spur the creation of the domestic bio-industry, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE's) BETO announced up to $90 million for projects that will design, construct, and operate integrated biorefinery facilities. These facilities would use domestic biomass sources instead of crude oil or other fossil fuels to produce biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. Interested applicants must submit a concept paper by 5 p.m. Eastern Time, June 2, 2016, to be eligible to submit a full application. The full application is due July 26, 2016, 5 p.m. Eastern Time. For more information about this funding opportunity, and to apply, visit the EERE Exchange.

BETO Announces $10 Million for Innovative Bioenergy Research and Development

To support the development of a bioeconomy, which can create green jobs, spur innovation, improve the environment, and achieve national energy security, BETO recently announced up to $10 million in funding to support six projects. These projects will support BETO’s work to develop renewable and cost-competitive biofuels from non-food biomass feedstocks by reducing the risk associated with potential breakthrough approaches and technologies. The projects selected are from Arizona State University, Duke University, Lygos, Inc., White Dog Labs, and LanzaTech, Inc.

DOE and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Award $10 Million to Advance Biofuels, Bioenergy, and Biobased Products

DOE, in collaboration with USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, awarded up to $10 million in funding through the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI). DOE selected two projects to receive $1 million–$2 million each, and USDA selected five projects to receive a total of $7.3 million. Projects funded through BRDI—a joint program through DOE and USDA—will help develop economically and environmentally sustainable sources of renewable biomass. They will also increase the availability of renewable fuels and biobased products, which can reduce the need for gasoline and diesel fuels and diversify our energy portfolio.

Algal Biology Toolbox Workshop Brings Leading Experts to Inform Algae-Based Biofuel Strategy

Earlier this week, BETO hosted the "Sharpening Our Tools: Algal Biology Toolbox Workshop,"  which gathered leading experts in the field of algal biology to discuss research and development needed to achieve affordable, scalable, and sustainable algae-based biofuels. It concentrated specifically on improvements in algal biology, which is a key research focus required to advance the economic viability of algae-based biofuels.

CAB-Comm Final Report Documents Accomplishments from 6 Years of Algal Research

The Consortium for Algal Biofuel Commercialization (CAB-Comm), led by the University of California, San Diego, recently released its final report, detailing the many accomplishments and impactful contributions achieved in its 6 years of operation. CAB-Comm was established in 2010 through a competitive award from BETO to conduct research to enable commercial viability of algae-based biofuels. It focused on three key aspects of algal biofuels production: development of genetic tools, crop protection, and nutrient utilization and recycling.

Co-Optimized Fuel-Engine Systems to Transform Our Nation’s Vehicles

Designing engines that improve vehicle efficiency while also accommodating next-generation biofuels is a win-win. The Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines Initiative seeks to accomplish just that by combining previously independent areas of biofuels and engine-combustion research and development to design new fuels and engines that are co-optimized—designed in tandem to maximize vehicle performance and carbon efficiency. Read more about how this initiative builds upon decades of remarkable advances in both fuels and engines to drive what could be the next automotive revolution in the EERE Blog.

The Future of Bioenergy Is in This Book-Less Library

The Bioenergy Feedstock Library contains no books. What it does contain is information about biomass—organic material such as corn stover, switchgrass, wood chips, and wheat straw. Nearly 50,000 biomass database entries and more than 35,000 physical samples reside in a repository located at DOE’s Biomass Feedstock National User Facility at Idaho National Laboratory. Offering an easily accessible and extensive source of information for researchers, the library contributes to the research of industry partners, universities, and collaborators at several national laboratories. Read more in the EERE Blog.

And the Winner of 2016 BioenergizeME Challenge Is...

Drumroll, please! The winner of the 2016 BioenergizeME Challenge is “Cellulosic Ethanol: The Fuel of the Future” by Smithtown High School East in St. James, New York. The team received the Director’s Prize for Excellence in Content, Design, and Social Media Promotion and is invited to present the infographic at BETO’s Bioenergy 2016 in Washington, D.C., on July 12–14. Read more about this year’s winning team and finalists.

Bring Bioenergy into the Classroom with BETO’s New Bioenergy Basics 101 Game

Looking for a way to bring bioenergy into the classroom? Do your students enjoy learning through educational games and activities? Then check out the Bioenergy Basics 101 Game—a fun, interactive tool designed for those with a general background in biology or environmental science. There are six categories corresponding to specific components of the bioenergy supply chain. A separate PowerPoint file with the same functionality is also available for download. Play today!

Past and Upcoming Events with BETO Representation

• Building the Billion-Ton Bioeconomy Listening Webinar; May 5, 2016; Jonathan Male; Online
• Algae Testbed Public Private Partnership Workshop on Principles and Processes; Algae Culture Management, Production and Downstream Harvesting; May 16–20 2016; Santa Fe and Los Alamos, New Mexico
• Algal Biology Toolbox Workshop; May 24–25, 2016, Advanced Algal Systems Team; San Diego, California
• IEA Webinar: Green Gas; June 2, 2016; Online
• Awesome Con; June 3–5, 2016; Alison Goss Eng; Washington, D.C.
• Advanced Bioeconomy Feedstocks Conference; June 7–8; Jonathan Male, Alison Goss Eng, Sam Tagore; Miami, Florida
• 6th International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts; June 26–29, 2016; San Diego, California
• Sustainable Transportation Summit; July 11–12, 2016; U.S. Department of Energy; Washington, D.C.
• Bioenergy 2016: Mobilizing the Bioeconomy through Innovation; July 12–14, 2016; Bioenergy Technologies Office; Washington, D.C.
• Progress and Products from the Regional Feedstock Partnership Meeting; July 14, 2016; Bioenergy Technologies Office; Washington, D.C.

To view past Monthly News Blasts, visit the BETO Newsletter page.