Doe Investments would advance biorefinery processing to reduce GHG emissions
The Department of Energy has awarded $118 million to accelerate the production of sustainable biofuels for transportation and manufacturing needs. Chris Bliley, senior vice president of regulatory affairs, with Growth Energy says the grants will help biorefineries reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “Our plants are innovating more and more in response to more competition in carbon markets, the Inflation Reduction Act and really just to focus on decarbonization. A lot of that innovation is taking place at the plant and that’s what these projects are meant to do.” Seventeen companies in nine states were awarded funding to diversify biofuels and bioproducts by advancing biorefinery development, from pre-pilot to demonstration and to create sustainable fuels that reduce emissions associated with fossil fuels. Nebraska-based Green Plains received a $500,000 grant, and Chief Financial Officer Jim Stark says the investment will help create a new market for sustainable aviation fuel and balance supply and demand for gasoline. “And with the conversion today of taking about 1.7 gallons of ethanol to make one gallon of sustainable aviation fuel, that could take about 2.5 billion gallons of ethanol out of the roadside and put into the jet fuel side.”