Factsheet: Biomass Research and Development Initiative

Award to develop: (a) Technologies and processes necessary for abundant commercial production of biofuels at prices competitive with fossil fuels; (b) High-value biobased products - (1) To enhance the economic viability of biofuels and power, (2) To serve as substitutes for petroleum-based feedstocks and products, and (3) To enhance the value of coproducts produced using the technologies and processes; and (c) A diversity of economically and environmentally sustainable domestic sources of renewable biomass for conversion to biofuels, bioenergy, and biobased products In 2015 the USDA's, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Institute of Bioenergy, Climate, and Environment (IBCE) and the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Golden Field Office, Bioenergy Technologies Office launch the interagency Program to support the development of a biomass-based industry in the United States, as originally established in Section 9001(a) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) (Pub. L. 110-246), re-authorized the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI) financial assistance program by amending section 9008 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (FSRIA), as amended, (Pub. L. 107-171) (7 U.S.C. 8108). Collaboration between DOE and USDA on BRDI is directed under section 9008(e)(1) of FSRIA, as amended. Additionally, DOE provides funds guided by certain administrative provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Section 9008(e)(3) of FSRIA provides direction and guidance on the technical areas as described in BRDI. The technical areas are: (A) Feedstocks development, (B) Biofuels and biobased products development, and (C) Biofuels development analysis.