Washington State Researchers Receive More than $16.8 Million to Develop Biofuels
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced two major biofuels research grants from the U.S. Department of Energy that will bring in more than $16.8 million to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Washington State University, the University of Washington, and several cutting-edge biofuels companies based in Washington state. One research effort will focus on developing the technologies needed to develop diesel and jet fuel from algae. The other initiative involves a public-private effort to find ways to use non-food biomass in our nation’s existing transportation infrastructure.
“Our goal is to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, stimulate local industry and job-creation, and achieve a cleaner environment,” Cantwell said. “These grants will put Washington state on a track to all three goals. The grants will help researchers and cutting-edge businesses in Washington get ahead in the race for fossil fuel alternatives. Within just a few years, these initiatives should lead to new techniques for turning biomass into fuels that we can use in our existing refineries, pipelines and cars.”
PNNL and a Colorado-based national laboratory will share funding to develop cleaner-burning biofuels capable of replacing typical uses of petroleum in trucks, planes, and other transportation vehicles. Called the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium (NABC), the project is co-led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and PNNL, with work primarily done at PNNL’s Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Laboratory (BSEL) in Richland. NABC involves research to develop a sustainable, cost-effective production process for biofuels and a plan to measure environmental benefits. PNNL will receive approximately $7 million over three years for this effort, with significant additional funding going to Washington State University and companies including Catchlight Energy and Tesoro, which have significant presence in Washington state.
“The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is a national leader in energy innovation and finding ways to reduce fossil fuel use,” Cantwell said. “This new funding opens the way for further break-throughs in advancing America’s clean energy economy.”
A second research grant will fund PNNL work in both Richland and Sequim, WA, on the commercialization of algae-based biofuels such as green aviation fuels, diesel and gasoline. The grant is being awarded to the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB), led by the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri. PNNL will receive about $7.2 million over three years, with additional funding going to Washington State University, the University of Washington, and Washington-state companies such as AXI, Genifuel, Inventure, and Targeted Growth, Inc.
via County & State :: Lake Stevens Journal.
