Feature Article March 2007

Department of Energy Funds First Commercial Cellulosic Ethanol Plants $385 million to support six innovative renewable fuel projects   By Harriet Foster, BCS Incorporated   U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman announced February 28, 2007 that DOE will potentially invest up to $385 million over the next four years in six cellulosic ethanol biorefinery projects. Though it requires a more complex refining process, cellulosic ethanol is characterized by a greater net energy balance and lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditional starch-based ethanol. The proposed plants are expected to produce over 130 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol annually, making a major contribution to President Bush’s goal for increased production of low-cost renewable transportation fuels. The President’s Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI) is pursuing reduced-cost cellulosic ethanol by 2012, while the “20 in 10” Initiative seeks to increase alternative fuels consumption to 35 billion gallons per year by 2017.  The selected biorefinery projects were announced as a significant step to advance the nation’s capabilities for efficient and effective conversion of cellulosic biomass into ethanol, synthesis gas, heat, and co-products.   Section 932 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) authorized DOE to solicit and fund proposals for the commercial demonstration of advanced biorefineries that use cellulosic feedstocks to co-produce ethanol, bioproducts, heat and power. The initial solicitation issued in February 2006 announced $160 million in financial assistance for three projects. Secretary Bodman requested that funding be doubled as part of the effort to expedite achievement of President Bush’s goals.  “We had a number of excellent proposals, but these six were considered ‘meritorious’ by the reviewers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado. So I thought it would be best to front-end some more funding now, so that we could all reap the benefits of the President’s vision sooner,” stated Secretary Bodman.   Of the 24 companies that applied for assistance, 15 complied with requirements, and underwent a full technical review. Through a competitive solicitation and technical review process, six private companies were selected, to negotiate awards of no more than $80 million each. The final selected companies, located in six different states, are to provide 60 percent or more of their respective projects’ costs. DOE will in turn be an equity partner, providing up to the remaining 40 percent cost-share. Agreements for actual cost-share levels will be negotiated between DOE and each project partner. Combined industry and government investment is expected to top $1.2 billion. DOE will monitor the projects’ technical progress with regular reviews.   The projects selected include maximum diversity of technology, feedstock variety, geographic dispersion, and participant type. Applied technologies include both biochemical (enzyme and organism fermentation) and thermochemical (application of heat and pressure) conversion processes, as well as a hybrid thermochemical-biochemical option. Cellulosic biomass feedstocks come from various non-food sources: agricultural residues like corn stover and cereal straws, industrial plant waste including saw dust and paper pulp, and perennial grasses specifically grown for energy uses, such as switchgrass. These first cellulosic plants will be located across the country in the Great Plains, Southeast, Midwest, and the Pacific Coast. Establishment of cellulosic biorefineries in California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, and Kansas ensures practical utilization of a wide variety of regional feedstocks. Project participants range from venture capitalists and start-ups to conventional ethanol suppliers and global corporations, as well as conventional energy suppliers, chemical companies, waste management, and forestry. Some are farmers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders.  Those selected all presented unique business cases demonstrating their ability to produce ethanol from cellulose which can compete in starch-based ethanol markets. All six project timelines anticipate achieving competitive parity by 2012.   The following six projects were selected to negotiate awards:   Abengoa Bioenergy Biomass of Kansas, LLC, Chesterfield, Missouri Integrated Biorefinery for Conversion of Biomass to Ethanol, Synthesis Gas and Heat   Site of Proposed Facility: Colwich, Sedgwick County, Kansas Participants:  Abengoa Bioenergy R&D, Abengoa Engineering, Novozymes & Others Feedstocks:  700 tons per day (tpd), consisting of corn stover, wheat straw, milo stubble, switchgrass, and other opportunity feedstocks Annual production: 11. 4 million gallons per year (gpy) ethanol, sufficient energy to power the operation and sell excess to starch plant Technology: Co-processing of agricultural residue at a corn dry grind facility via biochemical and thermochemical routes.  400 tpd into ethanol via biochemical routes, 300 tpd syngas for energy via thermochemical routes with the long term strategy of using the syngas for ethanol and chemicals production.   ALICO, Inc., LaBelle, Hendry County, Florida Production Facility that will Co-Produce Ethanol, Electricity and Other Commercially Valuable By-Products from Carbon-Based Feedstocks   Site of Proposed Facility: LaBelle, Hendry County, Florida Participants: Bioengineering Resources, Inc. of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Washington Group International of Boise, Idaho; GeoSyntec Consultants of Boca Raton, Florida; and BG Katz Companies/JAKS,LLC of Parkland, Florida Feedstock: 770 tpd , consisting of yard, wood and vegetative wastes (citrus peel) and eventually energycane Annual production: 13.9 million gpy ethanol, 6,255 KW power, 50 tpd ammonia and 8.8 tpd hydrogen. Technology: To produce fuel in the Bioengineering Resources Incorporated process, raw material is first gasified in a two-stage process that reaches temperatures as high as 2350o F, producing a mixture of CO, H2 and CO2. The hot gases are scrubbed, cooled to 100o F, put through activated carbon filtration and introduced into a bioreactor where ethanol is produced.   BlueFire Ethanol, Inc, Irvine, Orange County, California El Sobrante Ethanol Biorefinery   Site of Proposed Facility: Corona, Riverside County, California Participants: Waste Management, Inc., JGC Corporation (who successfully demonstrated the project at smaller scales), MECS Corporation, NAES, and PetroDiamond, a Mitsubishi Corporation company Feedstock: 700 tpd of sorted green waste and wood waste from landfills Annual production: 24 million gpy ethanol   Broin & Associates Inc, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Launch of an Integrated Bio-refinery with Eco-sustainable and Renewable Technologies in Year 2009 (LIBERTY)   Site of Proposed Facility: Emmetsburg, Palo Alto County, Iowa Participants: - Lignocellulose fermentation technology - E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Wilmington, DE); Commercial enzymes for biomass conversion - Novozymes North America, Inc. (Franklinton, NC); Analytical services - National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Golden, CO) Feedstocks: 842 tpd, consisting of corn fiber, corn stover (cobs and stalks) Annual production: 26.4 MM gal Technology: Broin will transform an existing conventional corn dry mill ethanol facility into a commercial scale bio-refinery that utilizes advanced corn fractionation and lignocellulosic conversion technologies.   Iogen Biorefinery Partners, LLC, Arlington, Virginia Launching America’s Cellulosic Ethanol Industry   Site of Proposed Facility: Idaho Falls, Bonneville County, Idaho Participants: Iogen Energy Corporation, Iogen Corporation, Goldman Sachs, and Royal Dutch Shell Oil Company Feedstock: 700 tpd consisting of the following Ag residues: wheat straw, barley straw, corn stover, switchgrass and rice straw. Annual production: 18 million gallons ethanol, first plant, 250 million gpy in future plants. Technology: To be located just south of Idaho Falls, ID, this 700 tpd integrated biorefinery will commercially demonstrate, using enzymatic hydrolysis, stand-alone cellulosic ethanol and associated co-product production from five major feedstocks - wheat straw, barley straw, corn stover, switchgrass, and rice straw.     Kergy, Inc (now Range Fuels, Inc.) Broomfield, CO Commercial Demonstration of a Thermochemical Process to Produce Fuels and Chemicals from Lignocellulosic Biomass   Site of Proposed Facility: Near Soperton, Treutlen County, Georgia Participants: Merrick and Company, Praj Industries Ltd., Western Research Institute, Georgia Forestry Commission, Yeomans Wood and Timber Feedstocks: 1,200 tpd of wood residues and woody energy crops Annual Production: ~40 million gpy ethanol and 26,000 gpd methanol Technology: The purpose of the plant is to demonstrate commercial viability of a novel thermochemical process for producing ethanol. A patented gasification technology will be used to convert the feed in to a mixture of CO and H2 (syngas). After appropriate gas cleanup, syngas will be compressed to about 1,500 psi and converted into ethanol in a catalytic synthesis step at temperatures up to 650° F.

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Biomass Spotlight

Pennsylvania    In February 2007, Pennsylvania Governor Rendell unveiled his Energy Independence Strategy, that not only seeks to save Pennsylvania Consumers $10 Billion in energy costs over 10 years but to also reduce reliance on foreign fuels. It is no surprise that to reach these goals, the governor is looking to expand the state’s production of biofuels. To ensure the production of more alternative fuels the Energy Independence Strategy will codify the “PennSecurity Fuels Initiative” which would require that Pennsylvania will grow and use one billion gallons of biofuels.[i] The Strategy would also require that every gallon of gasoline sold in the state would include at least ten percent ethanol and that every gallon of diesel would include up to twenty percent soy or other renewable oil.[ii]   Pennsylvania is already making progress towards its one billion gallon goal. In August 2006, the state announced that Bioenergy International will begin building a 108 million gallon per year, corn based ethanol facility in Clearfield County.[iii] Bioenergy International also announced that it will also build a small scale cellulosic pilot plant, which will utilize organic wastes and agricultural residue to produce fuel.[iv] When the plants were announced, the state presented Bioenergy with $17.4 million dollars of state funds that will contribute to the $250 million project.[v] The 108 million gallon facility will be one of the largest ethanol facilities east of the Mississippi River.[vi] In 2003, the state consumed 163 thousand barrels of ethanol.[vii] With the unveiling of the Governor’s strategy and plans for more ethanol facilities in Pennsylvania, there is little doubt that this amount will increase. Currently there are eleven fueling stations in Pennsylvania that dispense E-85.[viii]   In addition to ethanol, the state currently has 3.5 million gallons a year of biodiesel production capacity, with an additional 60.5 million gallons of capacity from 6 new facilities to go online by the end of 2007.[ix] Currently there are 34 fueling stations that dispense biodiesel in Pennsylvania.[x]   Recently, a bill was introduced in the state legislature to require the State’s vehicle fleet operate with the highest amount of bio-based fuels and lubricants possible. Specifically, the bill would require diesel vehicles operate on the highest blends of biodiesel.[xi] [i] Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania, Press Release. Feb 1, 2007. Available: http://www.depweb.state.pa.us [ii] Ibid. [iii] Green Cars Congress, “Pennsylvania Announces Major Corn-Ethanol Plant, Cellulosic-Ethanol Pilot Plant”. August 17, 2006. Available: http://www.greencarcongress.com [iv] Ibid. [v] Ibid. [vi] Ibid. [vii] Energy Information Administration, State Consumption Data, 2003. Accessed March 1, 2007 . Available: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/states/sep_use/tra/use_tra_pa.html [viii] EERE Alternative Fuels Webpage, as of 3/1/07 http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/infrastructure/station_counts.html [ix] National Biodiesel Board, Commercial Biodiesel Plants (January 31, 2007 ) and Biodiesel Production Plants Under Construction or Expansion (January 1, 2007 ). Available: Current Biodiesel Production Facilities and Biodiesel Facilities Under Construction or Expansion   [x] EERE Alternative Fuels Webpage, as of 3/1/07 http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/infrastructure/station_counts.html [xi] Pennsylvania State Legis. House. 2007 Session. HB 238, Providing for the reduction of energy use in State buildings;for energy efficiency and the State motor vehicle fleet, for other energy efficiency and procurement; establishing the Interagency Task Force on Energy and providing for its powers and duties; and providing for recognition of efforts to improve State energy efficiency and for reporting. [Introduced 2/05/07]. Pennsylvania General Assembly Website. http://www.legis.state.pa.us

On the Hill

Bill # Sponsor Description Last Action H.R. 85 Rep Biggert, Judy [IL-13] Energy Technology Transfer Act: To provide for the establishment of centers to encourage demonstration and commercial application of advanced energy methods and technologies. 2/28/2007: House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.   H.R. 395   Related Bills: S. 167  Rep Salazar, John T. [CO-3]   Cellulosic Ethanol Development and Implementation Act of 2007: To amend the Clean Air Act to provide grants for research, development and deployment of cellulosic ethanol facilities as well as investing in the necessary infrastructure to facilitate distribution. 1/10/2007: Referred to House committees on Energy and Commerce and Science and Technology.Referred to the Senate committee on Environment and Public Works. 1/31/2007: Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment. H.R.517  Rep Davis, Jo Ann [VA-1] Independence from Oil with Agriculture Act of 2007: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make permanent certain tax incentives for alternative energy, to amend the Clean Air Act to accelerate the use of renewable fuels, and for other purposes. 1/17/2007: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. H.R.547.IH Rep Gordon, Bart [TN-6]   Advanced Fuels Infrastructure Research and Development Act: To encourage development of an alternative fuels infrastructure for distribution of refined fuel. 2/17/2007: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.   H.R.670.IH     Rep Engel, Eliot L.[NY-17]   DRIVE Act: Specific policies proposed in this bill include: increasing the gasoline-efficiency of cars, trucks, tires, and oil; and providing economic incentives for companies and consumers to produce and purchase flexible fuel vehicles. 1/31/2007: Referred to House subcommittee. Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment. H.R. 683   Rep Lewis, Ron [KY-2]   Investment in Energy Independence Act of 2006: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to promote investment in energy independence through coal to liquid technology, biomass, and oil shale.   1/24/2007: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. H.R.823    Rep Welch, Peter [VT] To authorize Federal agencies and legislative branch offices to purchase greenhouse gas offsets and renewable energy credits, and for other purposes. 2/5/2007: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on House Administration, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.   H.R.872     Rep Braley, Bruce L. [IA-1] NEW ERA Act of 2007: To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to make competitive grants to community colleges and advanced technology education centers partnering with community colleges to support the education and training of technicians in the fields of bioenergy and other agriculture-based, renewable energy resources, and for other purposes. 2/7/2007: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.  H.R.931 Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12] America's Domestic Fuels Act: To provide for the research, development, and demonstration of coal gasification technology as an energy source in ethanol production. 2/13/2007: Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.   H.R.969   Rep Udall, Tom [NM-3] To amend title VI of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to establish a Federal renewable energy portfolio standard for certain retail electric utilities, and for other purposes. 2/8/2007: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.   H.R. 1126 Rep Lipinski, Daniel [IL-3] To reauthorize the Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988. 2/28/2007: House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.   S.386   Sen Chambliss, Saxby [GA] Cellulosic Ethanol Incentive Act of 2007: Amend the Clean Air Act to require a higher volume of renewable fuel derived from cellulosic biomass, and for other purposes. 1/24/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. S. 426   Sen Nelson,  Benjamin E. [NE] Biofuels Investment Trust Fund Act: A bill to provide that all funds collected from the tariff on imports of ethanol be invested in the research, development, and deployment of biofuels, especially cellulosic ethanol produced from biomass feedstocks. 1/29/2007: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.  S.541 Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] Rural Opportunities Act of 2007: A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to promote local and regional support for sustainable bioenergy and biobased products, to support the future of farming, forestry, and land management, to develop and support local bioenergy, biobased products, and food systems, and for other purposes. 2/8/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

On the Hill

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Grassroots

Genome Sequencing Reveals Key to Viable Ethanol Production (New York - 3/5)   Researchers at the University of Rochester have for the first time identified how genes responsible for biomass breakdown are turned on in a microorganism that produces valuable ethanol from materials like grass and cornstalks. The findings in today's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences may empower scientists to engineer ethanol-producing super-organisms that can make clean-burning fuel from the nation's one billion unused tons of yearly biomass production. David Wu’s technique may prove much more effective than traditional methods. Instead of using separate steps to break down biomass into glucose and ferment the glucose into ethanol, as is currently done, Wu is working on a way to make a bacterium break down and ferment plant biomass efficiently in just one step.   http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070302171356.htm   Turning Potatoes, Grass Into Ethanol (North Carolina - 3/8)   Researchers at N.C. State University already know they can make ethanol from sweet potatoes and switchgrass. They don't know if they can do it day after day in quantities more meaningful than a lab beaker. A $1.5 million grant by the Golden LEAF Foundation, could help them figure it out. NCSU will use the money to build a pilot plant capable of making ethanol from products commonly found in the state. It will allow us to get a facility into production within the next 18 months to two years," said Steve Peretti, an associate professor of chemical engineering and organizer of the NCSU project. "It won't be a large-scale plant, but it will let us know if ethanol can be produced with these materials on a larger scale." Three companies, including Novozymes, supported NCSU's project in the bid process.   http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=news&doc_id=14600&start=1&control=214&page_start=1&page_nr=101&pg=1   Brazil and U.S. Sign Memo on Ethanol (3/9)   Brazil and the U.S. inked a strategic alliance to promote biofuels, declaring the step important for the environment and global security. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim signed the memorandum of understanding to cooperate in promoting ethanol on the sidelines of President’s Bush's five-nation Latin American tour. Bush and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva described the pact as significant for both the environment and global security. The memo maps out bilateral cooperation to promote ethanol on global markets and addresses the issue of transfer of technology to other countries wanting to produce the fuel. Brazil and the United States want to standardize the definition of ethanol so it can be traded on global markets the same way oil is.   http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070309/pl_afp/uslatambushbrazil_070309171255   Analysis: Corn Prices Affect Food Prices (3/12)   The rising demand for ethanol is pushing up corn prices and affecting industries such as feedstock and biofuels, reports say. On Friday the U.S. Department of Agriculture blamed rising corn prices on the growing demand for ethanol.  This has adversely affected the livestock industry where most of the corn grown in the U.S. is used as feedstock. Earlier last week a report from the University of Missouri said the rising corn prices were hurting profit margins in the ethanol industry where corn is the main source of the fuel. The high costs, the study said, will prove a disincentive to build new plants in the long run. The two reports will likely provide additional ammunition to critics of corn-based ethanol who say the United States must look to other sources such as cellulose to manufacture biofuels.   http://www.upi.com/Energy/view.php?StoryID=20070312-011034-3416r

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Market Place

Marketplace provides data relevant to the production of biofuels from biomass as well as the state of the petroleum markets in which biofuels are used. Cost fluctuations in the price of a bushel of soybeans, the main biodiesel feedstock, and corn, affect the finished products i.e., biofuels. Key indicators in the petroleum industry provide a snapshot of the supply of finished products stocks and production, and how they relate to demand and the price of finished product (i.e. gasoline and diesel). The tables show actual grain prices, indicators which may affect gasoline prices, and the production of ethanol. Grain Prices Received by Farmers February 2007 February 2006 % Change 24 Months Corn ($/bushel) 3.32 2.02 64.36% Soybean ($/bushel) 6.83 5.67 20.46% Spot Prices W. Tex. Int Cush & Henry Hub February  2007 February  2006 % Change 24 Months W. Tex. Int Cush ($/Bbl) 58.46 62.24 -6.07% Henry Hub ($ per MMbtu) 6.186 7.521 -17.75% Fuel Supply February  2007 February  2006 % Change 24 Months Percent Refinery Utilization 86.85 86.25 0.70% Production by Product - Finished Motor Gasoline (1,000 bbl/d) 8,957 8,567 4.55% Stocks - Finished Motor Gasoline (1,000 bbl) 123,591 142,574 -13.31% Imports - Total Motor Gasoline (1,000 bbl/d) 992 1,082 -8.39% Oxygenate Production December  2006 December 2005 % Change 24 Months Ethanol Production (1,000 bbl) 11,023 8,676 27.05% MTBE Production (1,000 bbl) 1,503 3,849 -60.95% Data Sources: U.S. DOE-Energy Information Administration, "Weekly Petroleum Status Report" and "Monthly Oxygenate Report"; USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service, "Agricultural Prices,""Grain Stocks"; Wall Street Journal, Markets Data, Spot Prices, Oil Prices

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Recent Awards

Title: ASA Announces Winners of Precision Ag Contest Description: The grower leaders of the American Soybean Association (ASA) announced the 15 winners of "Reach for the Stars" contest that the ASA is running in partnership with John Deere Ag Management Solutions (AMS). Each contest winner will have the opportunity to use a premium-level precision ag system, each with a suggested retail price of more than $20,000, on his or her farm for the entire 2007 U.S. growing season. Recipients: 15 winners Award Total: Ag system worth approximately $20,000 Sponsoring Office: American Soybean Association URL: http://www.soygrowers.com/   Title: DOE Selects Six Cellulosic Ethanol Plants for Up to $385 Million in Federal Funding Description: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman announced that DOE will invest up to $385 million for six biorefinery projects over the next four years.  When fully operational, the biorefineries are expected to produce more than 130 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year.  This production will help further President Bush’s goal of making cellulosic ethanol cost-competitive with gasoline by 2012 and, along with increased automobile fuel efficiency, reduce America’s gasoline consumption by 20 percent in ten years. Recipients: 6 projects Award Total: $385 Million Sponsoring Office: Department of Energy URL: http://www.doe.gov/news/4827.htm

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Solicitations

Title: Energy for Sustainability Program Description: The Energy for Sustainability program supports fundamental research and education in energy production, conversion, and storage and is focused on energy sources that are environmentally friendly and renewable. Most world energy needs are currently met through the combustion of fossil fuels. With projected increases in global energy needs, more sustainable methods for energy production will need to be developed, and production of greenhouse gases will need to be reduced. Sources of sustainable energy include sunlight, wind, and biomass. Hydrogen and alcohols are potential energy carriers that can be derived from renewable sources. Research to produce and store hydrogen for use in direct combustion or in fuel cells is supported by the program. Potential sources of hydrogen include conversion from biomass and from electrolysis, photolysis or thermolysis of water. Government Agency: National Science Foundation Schedule: Mar 01, 2007   URL: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=11349&mode=VIEW   Title: Call For Papers/ Feedstocks for the Future II: The Organic Chemistry of Biomass   Description: The need to transform nonrenewable carbon into chemicals, fuels, and materials has driven the development of modern organic chemistry. Much of this chemistry is in the context of hydrocarbons found in coal, oil, and natural gas, however, the last 10 years has seen a rapidly expanding emphasis on the use of renewable carbon to supply the world¹s chemical needs. The Industrial and Engineering Division (IEC) of the American Chemical Society will offer a forum for this topic by sponsoring Feedstocks for the Future II: The Organic Chemistry of Biomass. This symposium follows up on the first ACS ³Feedstocks for the Future² conference held in 2004, and will include discussions of synthetic methodology for renewables, new mechanistic understanding, catalytic processes tailored for renewables, and identification of new structures that could serve as platforms for renewables-based product families. The symposium hopes to attract contributions from those individuals performing research that will lead to processes that rival or exceed the diversity and efficiency of today¹s chemical industry. Government Agency: American Chemical Society Schedule: August 19-23, 2007   URL: http://www.acs.org   Title:  Funding Opportunity Workshop for U.S. Department of Energy's Solar America Initiative (SAI) Description: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is holding a workshop on April 19, 2007 for interested parties to identify and prioritize lists of potential inverter and energy management research topics for inclusion in a proposed funding opportunity announcement (FOA) directed primarily towards U.S. companies. This opportunity is currently planned to be entitled "Research and Development for Advanced Integrated Inverter and Energy Management Technologies”. It is expected to target dramatic improvements in inverter and energy management technologies for solar electricity production. Government Agency: U.S. Department of Energy Schedule: April 19, 2007 URL: http://e-center.doe.gov/doebiz.nsf/d76fbc294818822885256d98006c63b6/7b1715def616   Title: NineSigma Request, RFP# 10235-1, "Technology to Derive a Diol for New Polycarbonate from Biomass."