Energy Dept. Announces $151 Million in Grants for Green Energy Research
Univenture, Inc. in Ohio was one recipient of funds from the DOE for its work on algae harvesting. (image: algaevs.com)
The New York Times reported Tuesday on the federal Department of Energy’s forthcoming announcement of $151 million worth of grants devoted to green energy research. The money, mostly earmarked for small businesses and educational institutions, will go towards bold technology research like gasoline-making bacteria, carbon dioxide-capturing enzymes, and genes that allow energy crops to produce more biomass with less land.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu said that a new agency within the department will monitor these radical proposals, most of which are expected to fail, but a few of which could have “a transformative impact.” Dr. Arun Majumdar, a scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California will lead the agency in exploring five or ten different approaches for various energy issues.
“We don’t know which ones are going to work, but we’ll try them,” Majumdar said, “and if many of them fail but one works, that’s great, we’ve solved the problem.”
A significant part of the funding is slated for the development of biomass technologies. Five of the 37 recipients work on biomass energy, including E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, a bio architecture lab in Delaware that is exploring the production of biofuel from seaweed, and Univenture, Inc. in Ohio, one of many companies working on creating biofuel from algae. HeatingOil.com has reported extensively on algae biofuels and other new technologies that are receiving significant funding from the Department of Energy’s latest grants.
This is the second round of federal funding appropriated to energy issues. The first round was tied to the federal stimulus act, with $400 million to be spent over the next two years.
As the folks over at Earth2Tech.com pointed out, it is unusual for the Department of Energy to have a pass to take risky investments. However, the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy program (ARPA-E) has been specifically designed to take funding from the stimulus package and explore technologies that might be too risky for investors.
“A venture capital group might say it’s a little too early for them,” said Dr. Lawrence Wackett, a professor of biochemistry.
All in all, it’s a bold step for the Department of Energy, but some would argue it’s time for that kind of action. If ARPA-E can be successful with even one or two of their projects, finding realistic alternative fuel options, all would be worth it. Such alternatives to oil and gasoline are crucial to our energy independence, as well as reducing home heating oil and other energy costs in the future.
DOE Awards $80 Million to Algae and Other Biofuel Development | HeatingOil.com says: says:
[...] of stimulus bill allocations to the biofuel industry, the first being back in October of last year, when Chu pledged $151 million towards green energy research. Then in December, the DOE gave 19 biorefinery projects about $564 [...]
Nitrous Oxide Emissions Threaten Future of Biofuels Industry | HeatingOil.com says: says:
[...] Biofuels continue to secure funding, however, and are considered to be an important part of any future energy mix. Among the recipients of $151 million in grants announced in October by the U.S. Department of Energy were E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, a bio architecture lab in Delaware that is exploring the production of biofuel from seaweed, and Univenture, Inc. in Ohio, one of many companies working on creating biofuel from algae. If even a few of the projects funded by the grants can identify realistic alternative energy sources, they will support U.S. energy independence and reduce future energy costs, including the cost of heating oil, which can be directly replaced by biofuel. [...]