The Department of Energy announced a $35 million investment for projects that aim at slashing carbon dioxide from biofuel production; reduce emissions and overall scale up the volume, the efficiency and adoption of renewable biofuels.
Firstly, the funding will help 15 awarded projects spread across colleges, universities; and also, labs across nine states; funding will help to advance new technologies to decarbonize biorefining processes used across the energy, transportation, and also agriculture sectors.
Secondly, the funds came out through the Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E); funding also intends to push forward the adoption of greener solutions, in order to more easily achieve the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of 100% clean energy economy; and net-zero emissions by 2050.
Thirdly, these new technologies will help to take advantage of the released co2 emissions during the fermentation process of the biomass; out of which the biofuel is produced. According to the DOE, some fermentation processes waste more than 1/3 of the CO2 created as a byproduct.
Consequently, there is a critical need to create new pathways for biofuel production; processes that reduce carbon waste, prevent the loss of CO2 emissions; and in turn, maximize the amount of renewable fuel a conversion process yields.
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Biofuel efficiency funded across nine states
Moreover, the 15 awarded projects will work on top-notch methods, like carbon-optimized fermentation strains that avoid CO2 waste; Engineered organisms that can use a mix of different sources of energy and carbon; also, biomass-derived sugar or carbon oxide gas fermentation with internal CO2 recycling.
In addition, about this innovations, secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “Biofuel is a powerful tool in the clean energy toolkit; it has immense potential to power our ships and airlines with zero carbon emissions.”
She also added. “DOE is investing in research to reduce emissions and maximize the availability of efficient biofuel; specially as we strive to reach President Biden’s net-zero carbon goals.”
Finally, the awardees are in the states of California, Illinois, Ohio, Denver, Washington, Minneapolis; among others.
