The remaining $81 million will help accelerate the construction of a facility in rural Fulton, Mississippi, that had previously received DOE funding. The project from BlueFire Ethanol, Inc. will have the capacity to generate 19 million gallons of ethanol per year from woody biomass, mill residue, and municipal solid waste. BlueFire announced in October that it decided to locate in Mississippi after it faced licensing difficulties and a challenging business climate in California. The Mississippi site will draw on forest residues and wood wastes available in the region. See the DOE press release, the BlueFire Ethanol press release, and the complete list of selected projects (PDF 100KB).
DOE Launches Save Energy Now LEADER Program
DOE has joined forces with 32 industrial companies to launch the Save Energy Now LEADER Program, which will provide technical assistance and resources to companies that pledge significant improvements in industrial energy efficiency.
The 32 charter member companies, from a broad spectrum of the U.S. industrial sector, signed a voluntary pledge on December 2 to reduce their industrial energy intensity by 25% over the next decade. The industrial sector consumes nearly 30% of the energy used nationwide and produces 27% of the country's carbon emissions.
The charter member companies agreed to establish energy use and energy intensity baselines and develop an energy management plan over the next 12 months. As indicated by the special "LEADER" designation, these companies are more than just first actors on the path to greater energy efficiency; they serve as role models in the industrial sector.
In return, they receive access to select DOE resources, as well as national recognition for their energy management achievements. The companies signing the pledge include such industry heavyweights as 3M, AT&T, Bridgestone, Dow Chemical Company, Honeywell, Intel, Mohawk Industries, and Sherwin-Williams. For a complete list, see the DOE press release.
The LEADER program is a new component of the successful Save Energy Now initiative, through which companies partner with DOE to conduct energy audits and assessments that identify opportunities for energy and cost savings in operations. Participating businesses also have access to tools and training they need to implement those recommendations.
Since 2006, more than 2,000 plants received energy assessments through Save Energy Now, identifying opportunities for $1.3 billion in cost savings, 119 trillion Btu of natural gas savings, and carbon dioxide reductions totaling 11.2 million metric tons. See the Save Energy Now Web site.
ARPA-E Offers $100M for Biofuel and Battery Research Projects
DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is offering a second round of grants for innovative energy research projects. The grants will draw upon $100 million in ARRA funds and are designed to accelerate innovation in green technology, increase U.S. competitiveness, and create jobs.
This funding round is focused specifically on new approaches for biofuels, electric vehicle batteries, and carbon capture technologies. Applicants need to submit a concept paper by January 15, 2010. The deadline for full applications has not been determined yet.
For biofuels, ARPA-E is seeking new ways to make liquid transportation fuels from carbon dioxide, without using petroleum or biomass. The intent is to use microorganisms to harness the chemical or electrical energy needed to convert carbon dioxide into liquid fuels. The objective is to develop an entirely new paradigm to produce liquid fuels that could overcome the challenges associated with current technologies, including dependence on biomass supplies or waste streams.
