Oil giant Exxon Mobil Corp., the world’s largest and richest publicly traded oil company, is making a major jump into renewable energy with a $600 million investment in algae-based biofuels. Exxon is joining Synthetic Genomics Inc., a biotechnology company founded by the genomics pioneer J. Craig Venter, to research and develop next-generation biofuels from sunlight, water

On July 1, 2009, Washington State’s Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (“CTED”) issued application guidelines and forms for its State Energy Program (“SEP”) (available by clicking here). The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “Recovery Act”) provided $60.9 million in new funding for Washington’s SEP. Subsequently, the Washington Legislature allocated $38.5 million to CTED to administer a loan and grant program for energy efficiency and renewable energy program (see our client alert, available here, regarding the legislative action). Continue Reading Show me the Money: Applications Available now for Washington’s State Energy Program

Advanced biofuels producers must enroll by August 11, 2009 to be eligible to receive payments from the USDA for FY 2009 production under Section 9005 of the 2008 Farm Bill.  Eligible producers of advanced biofuels may receive payments for advanced biofuels produced from October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009 (FY 2009).  $30 million is available for distribution under this program

A Minnesota biodiesel plant that has been shuttered for more than one year was approved for a $25 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”).   This loan is the second made by its Rural Development division under Section 9003 of the Farm Bill (the Biorefinery Assistance Program).

The loan is to help SoyMor

The Department of Agriculture ("USDA") is now accepting proposals for its Small Business Innovation Research Program ("SBIR").  SBIR has $18.5 million available to fund research projects that address important problems facing American agriculture.  Research areas include, but are not limited to:

  • Biofuels and biobased products;
  • Air, water, and soils;
  • Rural development;
  • Aquaculture; and
  • Animal Manure management

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In an earlier blog, my colleague, Debra Frimerman reported about the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).  REAP provides grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase renewable energy systems, make energy efficiency improvements and conduct feasibility studies for renewable energy systems.

REAP is a program under the Food, Conservation, and Energy

Last week DOE released a new funding opportunity announcement for up to $480 million for pilot-scale and demonstration-scale integrated biorefinery projects. An integrated biorefinery uses an “acceptable feedstock” to produce a biofuel or bioproduct as the “primary product.” Acceptable feedstocks include:

  • Algae
  • Certain woody biomass
  • Renewable plant materials so long as it is not generally intended for use

On, May 5, 2009, President Obama announced federal efforts to increase investment and use of advanced biofuels. The President signed a Presidential Directive establishing the Biofuels Interagency Working Group, ordering the Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) to implement financing opportunities from the Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (“FCEA”), and announcing additional Recovery Act funds for renewable