Significant RD&D is required to reach the goal of affordable, low-carbon intensity transportation fuels and chemical products. The RD&D activities to be funded under this FOA will support the government-wide approach to addressing the climate crisis by driving innovation and deployment of clean energy technologies.
The 2024 Regional Resource Hubs for Purpose-Grown Energy Crops FOA supports the focus of the BETO Renewable Carbon Resources Program in developing strategies and supporting technology development to reduce the cost, improve the quality, increase the quantity, and maximize the environmental benefits of using renewable carbon resources. The FOA addresses enabling the mobilization of low carbon intensity purpose-grown energy crops across varied agronomic and geographic landscapes through the generation of data and research findings. The FOA seeks applications that will support resource mobilization, including improvements to quality, yield, cost, mechanization of propagation/planting systems, pest management, carbon intensity reduction, ecosystem services, and more from the cultivation of purpose-grown energy crops. Data generated over the course of four to ten years will be used to improve modeling projections, adapt crops and/or crop management strategies to address varying climates, understand variations in soil and belowground carbon storage, quantify ecosystem services, and reduce the carbon intensity for specified purpose-grown energy crop systems.
There is a single Topic Area in this FOA with four Subtopic Areas, each focusing on different feedstock categories.
- Topic Area 1: Purpose-Grown Energy Crops
- Subtopic Area 1a. Algae
- Subtopic Area 1b: Herbaceous Energy Crops
- Subtopic Area 1c: Intermediate Energy Crops
- Subtopic Area 1d: Short-Rotation Woody Crops
Estimated Total Program Funding: $29,000,000
Expected Number of Awards: 5
Award Ceiling: $10,000,000
Award Floor: $5,000,000
Application Deadline: March 14, 2024 (Concept paper); June 13, 2024 (Proposal)
