The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the FY24 Phase I Release 2 awards under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. A $52 million investment has been allocated to fund 229 clean energy initiatives spanning 39 states. These projects will focus on accelerating research, development, and practical implementation of innovative clean energy technologies. The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has specifically selected 13 small businesses focused on accelerating bioenergy R&D, underscoring a commitment to fostering innovation in sustainable energy technologies.

The selected companies, spread across 10 states, are set to receive up to $206,500 each under the Phase I SBIR award. Of the thirteen BETO award recipients, six are inaugural honorees. The awardees demonstrate a diverse geographic footprint, with four operating from Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) zones and two from economically distressed areas. Additionally, one woman-owned enterprise is among the distinguished group. This diverse range of awardees highlights a focus on broadening opportunities and supporting innovation across various sectors and demographics.

The awards under the BETO topics focus on advancing sustainable biomass conversion to bio-based materials, addressing the need for eco-friendly alternatives to traditional materials such as foams, adhesives, and resins. BETO aims to support the decarbonization of the industrial sector by developing cost-effective and sustainable chemicals, materials, and processes using biomass and waste resources. Awardees include Altex Technologies Corporation (San Jose, CA) for its battery-grade graphite production from biomass, Capro-X, Inc. (Ithaca, NY) for cellulose ester bioplastics from organic waste-based fatty acids, Dynaflow, Inc. (Jessup, MD) for extracting high-value wax esters and lipids from Yarrowia lipolytica using enhanced hot water extraction, and Exelus, Inc. (Fairfield, NJ) for a low-cost method to produce glycols from lignocellulosic biomass.

The BETO awards also highlight innovative projects aimed at sustainable material development. Global Algae Innovations, Inc. (San Diego, CA) will focus on aqueous algae oil extraction. Good Fibes Inc. (Chicago, IL) is working on additive manufacturing of recombinant elastic proteins for sustainable non-woven textiles. New Iridium (Boulder, CO) is developing a novel light-activated process for bio-acetic acid production. Physical Sciences, Inc. (Andover, MA) is advancing sustainable biopolymer alternatives to replace fossil-fuel derived foams. These projects collectively contribute to the shift toward environmentally friendly materials and processes, fostering advancements in bio-based technologies.

As part of the government’s broad strategy to decarbonize all transportation modes, BETO concentrates on research, development, and deployment of "drop-in" biofuels derived from renewable biomass and waste resources. These biofuels are designed to be compatible with existing fueling infrastructure and to serve transportation sectors that are challenging to electrify, such as aviation, maritime, rail, and medium-to-heavy duty off-road vehicles. Rather than focusing on the creation of new equipment, this initiative aims to test commercially available equipment, with necessary modifications, to demonstrate effective preprocessing of biomass and waste feedstocks.

The BETO awards also support innovative projects aimed at advancing biofuel and biomass technologies. Atlantic Biomass Conversions, Inc. (Frederick, MD) is focused on low-cost production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) from perennial feedstocks using simultaneous ball milling and enzyme hydrolysis. Enexor BioEnergy, LLC (Franklin, TN) is developing a modular biomass preprocessing system. Forest Concepts, LLC (Auburn, WA) is working on particle-level densification of bulk biomass materials to replace pelletized fuels and feedstocks. Novastus (Cookeville, TN) aims to drive decarbonization by producing refuse-derived fuel (RDF) from waste feedstocks using commercial equipment. WeNeW Carbology, LLC (Charlottesville, VA) is adapting combine and blower equipment for efficient biomass preprocessing.