$40M in DOE funding to advance algae tech development and commercialization

In Washington, D.C., the Algae Biomass Association reports that federal support for advanced algae R&D is on a solid foundation for 2021 with the recent passage of an omnibus appropriations bill that was included in last year’s COVID-19 relief legislation with $40 million from the Department of Energy for advanced algae systems.

These funds extend a long-standing tradition of supporting advanced algae technology development at the federal level, and were approved by bipartisan majorities in Congress.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s included in the legislation:

• The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) will direct $40 million to funding opportunities that target advanced algae systems, the same level of support allocated in 2020. $10 million of those funds will be provided for R&D to support atmospheric carbon capture.
• At the DOE’s Fossil Energy Office, the Carbon Use and Reuse program will get $23 million, a $2 million increase over last year. $8 million of these funds are allocated for competitive solicitations on carbon dioxide absorption with algae systems that can capture and reuse the gas to produce useful biofuels and chemicals.
• Finally, the legislation encourages the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to support research on algae and algae applications in agriculture, including new commercial markets for renewable and sustainable products derived from algae. This is the first time algae has been prioritized at NIFA in this manner.