SBIR to broaden bioeconomy participation

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has a mission to help transform the Nation's renewable and abundant biomass resources into cost-competitive, high-performance biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. BETO is focused on forming partnerships with key stakeholders to develop technologies for advanced biofuels production from lignocellulosic and algal biomass as well as waste resources. In FY 2021, BETO is focusing on broadening participation-related topics for its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) & Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding opportunity. The topic titles are “Small Business Bioenergy Technologies Increasing Community Partnerships” and “Cultivating a More Competitive Bioeconomy through Strengthening Small Business Workforces.”

Interested applicants that have questions can contact the Topic Manager, Devinn Lambert. Letters of Intent are required to submit a full application. Letters of Intent are due Monday, January 04, 2021.

Small Business Bioenergy Technologies Increasing Community Partnerships

This subtopic encourages submission of innovative research proposals from bioenergy small businesses to develop a community-scale preliminary design package of their products and/or processes and engage community stakeholders to assess desirability and feasibility of the small business’ proposed design.

The main objective of a Phase I award is developing a preliminary design package of their technology, product, or process deployed at the community scale and derived from stakeholder input. In Phase I the majority of research emphasis is placed on evaluating and testing unknowns of integrating the technology at the community scale with their specific stakeholder group(s) rather than on developing a new technology. Some unknowns include technology performance parameters to better support the local economy and public acceptance of the technology. Phase II of this topic involves deployment of the proposed technology into the community at a pilot scale.

Cultivating a More Competitive Bioeconomy through Strengthening Small Business Workforces

This subtopic solicits proposals that pilot a research-driven workforce development program or tool that can be widely applicable for the bioeconomy, establishing a partnership with business experts in bioenergy and/or inclusive workforce development.

Phase I of this topic includes completion of research and beta-testing of the workforce development program or tool. Phase II includes the deployment of this technology at the bioeconomy business and scaling the tool to other businesses.

Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) establishes partnerships with key public and private stakeholders to develop technologies for producing cost-competitive advanced biofuels from non-food biomass resources, including cellulosic biomass, algae, and wet waste (e.g., biosolids).

BETO works with a broad spectrum of government, industrial, academic, agricultural, and nonprofit partners across the United States to develop commercially viable, high-performance biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower made from renewable U.S. biomass resources that reduce our dependence on imported oil while enhancing energy security.

For further information about BETO, please visit the website here