The Department of Energy is offering this grant to drive integrated process improvements for biochemical conversion of biomass sugars into substitutes for petroleum-based feedstocks, products, and fuels.

1. Add the following bullet to Section III – Eligibility Information – A. Eligible Applicants:

At least 50% percent of the work carried out under the DOE funded project must take place within the U.S., including territories and commonwealths of the U.S. For work that is expected to take place outside of the U.S., the applicant must demonstrate that its use of DOE funds will be in the economic interests of the United States, including, for example; creation of domestic manufacturing capability; use of American products, materials or labor; payment of United States taxes; or United States technological advancements.

Foreign entities are eligible to participate as sub-recipients, where the prime recipient is an eligible domestic entity, provided that:

– The foreign sub-recipient’s effort, in aggregate, shall not exceed one-half (1/2) of the total estimated budget which includes both the applicant’s and the foreign sub-recipient’s portions of the effort.
– The foreign sub-recipient must provide at least twenty (20) percent cost share for its own portion of the project.

All other terms and conditions of the Announcement remain the same.

1. Modify the first paragraph in Section I – Funding Opportunity Description – Description:

Accordingly, the following paragraph is deleted:
“The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) announces a notice of availability of funds for financial assistance addressing the development, improvement and demonstration of integrated bench and/or engineering-scale process technology for the production of substitutes for petroleum-based feedstocks, products and fuels, which will improve the economics and efficiency of a biochemical or hybrid conversion process.”

and replaced with:
“The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) announces a notice of availability of funds for financial assistance addressing the development, improvement and demonstration of integrated bench and/or engineering-scale process technology for the production of substitutes for petroleum-based feedstocks, products and hydrocarbon fuels, which will improve the economics and efficiency of a biochemical or hybrid conversion process.”

2. Add the following sentence to paragraph 6 in Section I – Funding Opportunity Description – Description:

“Applicants may submit multiple applications; however, applicants will be limited to a single application per topic area.”

3. Modify the first paragraph in Section 1 – Funding Opportunity Description – Other Conditions:

Accordingly, the following paragraph is deleted:
“Additionally, DOE will NOT fund improvement of processes for the production of ethanol, biogas and biodiesel produced from transesterification or hydrotreating or hydrocracking of agronomic, natural plant oils (e.g., soybeans, palm, coconut, safflower, castor, etc.) under this FOA. Applications proposing improvements to the previously listed technological processes (i.e. biocatalyst (enzyme or microorganism) discovery, improvement of processes for the production of ethanol, biogas and biodiesel produced from transesterification or hydrotreating or hydrocracking of agronomic, natural plant oils) will be considered non-responsive and will NOT be considered for funding under this FOA.”

and replaced with:
“Additionally, DOE will NOT fund improvement of processes for the production of ethanol, n-butanol as a fuel, biogas and biodiesel produced from transesterification or hydrotreating or hydrocracking of agronomic, natural plant oils (e.g., soybeans, palm, coconut, safflower, castor, etc.) under this FOA. Applications proposing improvements to the previously listed technological processes (i.e. biocatalyst (enzyme or microorganism) discovery, improvement of processes for the production of ethanol, n-butanol as a fuel, biogas and biodiesel produced from transesterification or hydrotreating or hydrocracking of agronomic, natural plant oils) will be considered non-responsive and will NOT be considered for funding under this FOA.”

4. Modify the first paragraph of Appendix E – Additional Detail on Definitions, Topic Areas and Explanations of Criterion – Topic Areas:

Accordingly, the following paragraph is deleted:
“The limitations of the FOA apply to all Topic Areas. To reiterate, this FOA is restricted to the improvement and development of pretreatment, hydrolysis, and conversion technologies leading to production of alcohols and other petroleum replacement products. Conversion technologies for the production of ethanol are expressly excluded.”

and replaced with:
“The limitations of the FOA apply to all Topic Areas. To reiterate, this FOA is restricted to the improvement and development of pretreatment, hydrolysis, and conversion technologies leading to production of alcohols and other petroleum replacement products. Conversion technologies for the production of ethanol and n-butanol as a fuel are expressly excluded. The funds are intended for research and development, not for the construction or procurement of pilot scale facilities.”

5. Modify instructions for Table B in Appendix F – Data Tables – Technical & Economics Metric Table B – Process Details and Cost Estimate:

Accordingly, the following paragraph is deleted:
“Table B, “Process Details and Cost Estimate,” MUST be completed in as much detail as possible to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of the enzyme system and this work’s impact on reducing ethanol production costs. Use a 2007$ cost year or state the cost year used and why if different. The “Benchmark” column should be filled out with best available performance data and costs. The “Intermediate Target” and “Final Target” columns should be process data and cost targets for the proposed work. For those costs unavailable or outside of the proposed work, please utilize the fixed costs provided, as appropriate to the proposal.”

and replaced with:
“Table B, “Process Details and Cost Estimate,” MUST be completed in as much detail as possible to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of the enzyme system and this work’s impact on reducing bio-fuel production costs. Use a 2007$ cost year or state the cost year used and why if different. The “Benchmark” column should be filled out with best available performance data and costs. The “Intermediate Target” and “Final Target” columns should be process data and cost targets for the proposed work. For those costs unavailable or outside of the proposed work, please utilize the fixed costs provided, as appropriate to the proposal.”

6. Modify Line 1 in Table B in Appendix F – Data Tables:

“Line 1: Annual Ethanol Production (MM gallons)” is deleted and replaced with “Line 1: Annual Fuel Production (MM gallons).”

7. Delete the following sentences in Appendix I – Project Narrative Cover Sheet – Topic Area:

“Applicants that submit to none or more than one topic area will be excluded from further review. Select one and only one topic area below.”

All other terms and conditions of the Announcement remain the same.

1. Modify the first paragraph in Section I – Funding Opportunity Description – Description:

Accordingly, the following paragraph is deleted:
“The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) announces a notice of availability of funds for financial assistance addressing the development, improvement and demonstration of integrated bench and/or engineering-scale process technology for the production of substitutes for petroleum-based feedstocks, products and fuels, which will improve the economics and efficiency of a biochemical or hybrid conversion process.”

and replaced with:
“The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) announces a notice of availability of funds for financial assistance addressing the development, improvement and demonstration of integrated bench and/or engineering-scale process technology for the production of substitutes for petroleum-based feedstocks, products and hydrocarbon fuels, which will improve the economics and efficiency of a biochemical or hybrid conversion process.”

2. Add the following sentence to paragraph 6 in Section I – Funding Opportunity Description – Description:

“Applicants may submit multiple applications; however, applicants will be limited to a single application per topic area.”

3. Modify the first paragraph in Section 1 – Funding Opportunity Description – Other Conditions:

Accordingly, the following paragraph is deleted:
“Additionally, DOE will NOT fund improvement of processes for the production of ethanol, biogas and biodiesel produced from transesterification or hydrotreating or hydrocracking of agronomic, natural plant oils (e.g., soybeans, palm, coconut, safflower, castor, etc.) under this FOA. Applications proposing improvements to the previously listed technological processes (i.e. biocatalyst (enzyme or microorganism) discovery, improvement of processes for the production of ethanol, biogas and biodiesel produced from transesterification or hydrotreating or hydrocracking of agronomic, natural plant oils) will be considered non-responsive and will NOT be considered for funding under this FOA.”

and replaced with:
“Additionally, DOE will NOT fund improvement of processes for the production of ethanol, n-butanol as a fuel, biogas and biodiesel produced from transesterification or hydrotreating or hydrocracking of agronomic, natural plant oils (e.g., soybeans, palm, coconut, safflower, castor, etc.) under this FOA. Applications proposing improvements to the previously listed technological processes (i.e. biocatalyst (enzyme or microorganism) discovery, improvement of processes for the production of ethanol, n-butanol as a fuel, biogas and biodiesel produced from transesterification or hydrotreating or hydrocracking of agronomic, natural plant oils) will be considered non-responsive and will NOT be considered for funding under this FOA.”

4. Modify the first paragraph of Appendix E – Additional Detail on Definitions, Topic Areas and Explanations of Criterion – Topic Areas:

Accordingly, the following paragraph is deleted:
“The limitations of the FOA apply to all Topic Areas. To reiterate, this FOA is restricted to the improvement and development of pretreatment, hydrolysis, and conversion technologies leading to production of alcohols and other petroleum replacement products. Conversion technologies for the production of ethanol are expressly excluded.”

and replaced with:
“The limitations of the FOA apply to all Topic Areas. To reiterate, this FOA is restricted to the improvement and development of pretreatment, hydrolysis, and conversion technologies leading to production of alcohols and other petroleum replacement products. Conversion technologies for the production of ethanol and n-butanol as a fuel are expressly excluded. The funds are intended for research and development, not for the construction or procurement of pilot scale facilities.”

5. Modify instructions for Table B in Appendix F – Data Tables – Technical & Economics Metric Table B – Process Details and Cost Estimate:

Accordingly, the following paragraph is deleted:
“Table B, “Process Details and Cost Estimate,” MUST be completed in as much detail as possible to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of the enzyme system and this work’s impact on reducing ethanol production costs. Use a 2007$ cost year or state the cost year used and why if different. The “Benchmark” column should be filled out with best available performance data and costs. The “Intermediate Target” and “Final Target” columns should be process data and cost targets for the proposed work. For those costs unavailable or outside of the proposed work, please utilize the fixed costs provided, as appropriate to the proposal.”

and replaced with:
“Table B, “Process Details and Cost Estimate,” MUST be completed in as much detail as possible to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of the enzyme system and this work’s impact on reducing bio-fuel production costs. Use a 2007$ cost year or state the cost year used and why if different. The “Benchmark” column should be filled out with best available performance data and costs. The “Intermediate Target” and “Final Target” columns should be process data and cost targets for the proposed work. For those costs unavailable or outside of the proposed work, please utilize the fixed costs provided, as appropriate to the proposal.”

6. Modify Line 1 in Table B in Appendix F – Data Tables:

“Line 1: Annual Ethanol Production (MM gallons)” is deleted and replaced with “Line 1: Annual Fuel Production (MM gallons).”

7. Delete the following sentences in Appendix I – Project Narrative Cover Sheet – Topic Area:

“Applicants that submit to none or more than one topic area will be excluded from further review. Select one and only one topic area below.”

All other terms and conditions of the Announcement remain the same.