Advancing Bioenergy: Department of Energy Announces FCIC FY2025 Call for Partnership

On September 4, 2024, the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium (FCIC) launched its FY25 Industry Partnership Call, offering industry stakeholders a unique opportunity to collaborate with national laboratories on advancing biomass feedstock conversion technologies. This initiative is designed to address real-world challenges and drive innovation in the bioenergy and bioproduct industries by leveraging the FCIC's extensive research capabilities.

FCIC FY25 Industry Partnership Call

The call is open to for-profit and nonprofit entities. Institutions of higher education are not eligible. Eligible projects must focus on the use of lignocellulosic biomass, oilseed crops, municipal solid waste (MSW), or other organic waste as feedstocks, with proposals centered around one or more of the following topic areas:

1. CRADA Partnerships (Cooperative Research and Development Agreement): These projects pair industry stakeholders with FCIC partner national laboratories to work on biomass feedstock supply, handling, transport, preprocessing, or conversion to bioproducts. DOE funding ranges from $400,000 to $2 million, with a project duration of up to 36 months and a 20% cost share required.

2. Rapid Technical Assistance: Focused on short-term technical support to resolve specific challenges. Funding ranges from $50,000 to $150,000, with no cost share required. Projects last up to six months.

3. Biorefinery Technical Assistance: Targeted at supporting pilot, demonstration, or commercial-scale biorefineries with process design and operational troubleshooting. DOE funding is between $200,000 and $750,000, with a 50% in-kind cost share required. Projects last up to 24 months.

The FCIC will host a webinar on September 16 with an open Q&A. The webinar will provide an introduction to BETO and the FCIC, an overview of partnership opportunities, project topic areas, eligibility requirements, and proposal timeline. 

Key Dates:

• November 1, 2024: Deadline to submit a Notice of Intent to propose.
• November 15, 2024: Deadline for pitch presentations (Topic Areas 1 and 3).
• December 6, 2024: Proposal submission deadline.
• March 5, 2025: Anticipated notification of selected proposals.

What is the FCIC?

The FCIC is a collaboration funded by the DOE's Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) that brings together researchers and industry experts to address biorefineries' challenges when processing biomass. Unlike traditional crops such as grain or barley, biomass feedstocks—like forest and agricultural residues—have highly variable physical and chemical properties, making them harder to process efficiently.

The FCIC's primary goal is to manage these variations and improve the overall conversion process for more reliable and cost-effective bioenergy production. By conducting research across every stage of the bioenergy supply chain, from harvesting to conversion, the FCIC helps reduce the risks associated with scaling up biorefinery operations. This initiative enhances the efficiency of bioenergy production and supports the growth of sustainable energy solutions.

Unlocking New Value for the Forest Industry

The forest products industry has been honing its methods for cutting down and processing trees for years. However, not all the leftovers, such as logging debris, sawdust, and other byproducts, have been used to generate profit.

One area of focus for the FCIC is addressing the technical challenges of converting logging residues and wood waste into biofuels and bioproducts. While these materials are rich in potential energy, the process of transforming them into sustainable products has been inconsistent and expensive.

The FCIC is working to streamline and refine this process, which could mean a new revenue source for forest owners and their partners. What used to be considered waste might soon be a sought-after resource for biofuel production.

Driving Efficiency in Biofuel Production

This initiative might be the breakthrough that biofuel producers, particularly those working on second-generation fuels derived from non-food biomass, have been waiting for. One of the largest and most persistent challenges in producing biofuels has been the variability in the quality of the feedstock. Factors such as moisture content and particle size are crucial in determining how efficiently feedstocks can be converted into fuel.

Partnering with the FCIC could help biofuel producers finally overcome these challenges. The aim is to develop feedstocks that behave more consistently during the conversion processes.

Consistency would reduce expenses and enhance the total output of biofuels and bioproducts. Consequently, this could make second-generation feedstocks a more viable option in bioenergy production, pushing them into the energy landscape more smoothly and swiftly.

Paving the Path to a Low-Carbon Future

This effort goes beyond expanding the market—it's about taking meaningful action against climate change. The forest products and biofuels industries play a key role in reducing carbon emissions. The work being advanced by the FCIC aligns seamlessly with the growing body of state and federal regulations aimed at reducing the transportation sector's carbon footprint.

This new initiative underscores a larger movement toward bio-based solutions that could redefine how we think about energy, waste, and sustainability. For the key players in the forest products and biofuels sectors, now is the time to pay attention—and perhaps take action.

Curious about how crop residues are driving the future of biofuels? Check out our article, How Feedstocks from Crops Create Advanced Biofuels, for an in-depth look at the transformative power of these sustainable energy sources.