| Energy Dept. to
establish two centers for ethanol, biofuel research
The U.S. Energy Department will spend $250 million establishing and operating two new Bioenergy Research Centers to accelerate basic research on the development of cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels. "This is an important step toward our goal of replacing 30 percent of transportation fuels with biofuels by 2030," Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said when he announced the plans in Channahon, Ill., on Aug. 2. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 calls for the creation of new programs to improve the technology and reduce the cost of biofuels production to make it a cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels. Four billion gallons of ethanol are produced annually in the United States, mainly from corn. The Energy Policy Act requires that by 2012, at least 7.5 billion gallons per year of renewable fuel be blended into the nationīs fuel supply. Biofuels tend to burn more cleanly than fossil fuels and are beneficial in reducing the release of additional carbon dioxide -- a greenhouse gas -- into the atmosphere. While ethanol in the United States is made mostly from corn, cellulosic ethanol would use a more diverse feedstock including agricultural residues, grasses and other inedible plants. Development of the alternative feedstocks is necessary in order to boost production, according to the Department of Energy. Universities, national laboratories, nonprofit organizations and private firms are eligible to compete for an award to establish and operate a center. Awards, based on evaluation by scientific peer review, will be announced next summer. The federal government wants the centers to be fully operational by 2009. A major focus for their research will be understanding how to re-engineer biological processes for more efficient conversion of plant fiber, or cellulose, into ethanol as a substitute for gasoline. The proposal deadline for the funding opportunity is Feb. 1, 2007. Additional details are available online at www.doegenomestolife.org/centers.
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