ARPA-E is Seeking Information for Biological Nitrogen Cycle Innovation in Bioenergy Crops

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only. This RFI is not accepting applications for financial assistance. The purpose of this RFI is solely to solicit input for ARPA-E consideration to inform the possible formulation of future programs.

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to solicit input for a potential ARPA-E program focused on the development of technologies to reduce nitrogen inputs and soil-based greenhouse gas emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) from the cultivation of bioenergy crops (i.e., corn, soybean, and sorghum). The goals for this programmatic concept include the evaluation of technologies capable of: 1) providing high-efficacy, low energy-intensive alternatives to synthetic fertilizer in agricultural production by advancing microbial fertilization approaches, enhancing plant nitrogen (N) use efficiency-related traits, and developing enabling tools for autogenic N2 fixation; and 2) reducing soil-based N2O emissions in growing these crops by altering the microbial N-cycle either through microbial and/or plant approaches.
ARPA-E seeks input from molecular biologists, biochemists, microbiologists, bioengineers, soil scientists, crop breeders, crop geneticists, plant scientists, and others with potentially relevant expertise. Additionally, ARPA-E is seeking input from prospective end-users of such technologies, including corn/soybean/sorghum growers, seed producers, farm monitoring and equipment companies, agronomists, biofuel stakeholders, and nitrogen fertilizer supply chains. This RFI is focused on soliciting input about biological approaches, rather than management-based approaches, to reduce N-inputs and soil-based emissions of N2O.

To view the RFI in its entirety, please visit https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov.