DOE, USDA Grant $6.3M for Biofuel Studies

GenomeWeb Daily News
July 23, 2009
By a GenomeWeb staff reporter

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Seven research teams at institutions around the country will use $6.3 million from the US Government to run genomics studies of plant feedstocks for biofuel production using switchgrass, sorghum, alfalfa, and others.

The Department of Energy and Department of Agriculture have granted the awards aimed at developing new feedstocks and biofuel-related plant technologies that could be used to "further the Obama Administration's efforts to broaden the nation's energy portfolio while decreasing our dependence on foreign oil," DOE said on Wednesday.

Under the Biomass Genomics Research program, DOE's Office of Biological and Environmental Research has granted $4 million for four projects, while USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service's National Research Initiative granted $2.2 million for three projects. The initial funding will last up to three years.

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