There is a lot of buzz about the ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) these days.  Why not?  There are billions of dollars at stake there.  As part of the ongoing effort to increase the use of domestic renewable fuels, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu Tuesday announced plans to provide $786.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate advanced biofuels research and development and to provide additional funding for commercial-scale biorefinery demonstration projects.  “Developing the next generation of biofuels is key to our effort to end our dependence on foreign oil and address the climate crisis -- while creating millions of new jobs that can't be outsourced,” Secretary Chu said. “With American investment and ingenuity -- and resources grown right here at home -- we can lead the way toward a new green energy economy.”

The DOE biomass program will leverage DOE’s national laboratories, universities, and the private sector to help improve biofuels reliability and overcome key technical challenges, with the goal of creating third-generation biofuels like green gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels. The $786.5 million in Recovery Act funding is a mix of new funding opportunities and additional funding for existing projects.

It will be allocated across four main areas:

$480 million solicitation for integrated pilot- and demonstration-scale biorefineries

$176.5 million for commercial-scale biorefinery projects

$110 million for fundamental research in key program areas

$20 million for ethanol research