Washington, D.C. — The Department of Energy (DOE) issued a solicitation on Monday, January 29, 2001, in support of the Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000. The solicitation seeks R&D proposals for new technologies that enhance economic competitiveness, reduce energy consumption, and reduce environmental impacts in the emerging biobased products industry. The industry uses crops, trees, and residues to make chemicals and materials such as plastics, paints, and adhesives.

The solicitation will close Wednesday, March 28, 2001. DOE anticipates making approximately 3 to 5 awards with a total estimated DOE funding of up to $1.5 million per award per year, each with a duration of approximately 3 to 5 years. The proposals will address at least three out of the four key barrier areas: plant sciences, production, processing, and utilization. These were identified in the Technology Roadmap for Plant/Crop-Based Renewable Resources 2020, the industry's action plan for the future.

For further details regarding this solicitation, please contact Elaine Richardson at richardem@id.doe.gov For additional information on the Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) partnerships with the biobased products industry, please visit www.oit.doe.gov.