The Colorado Center for Biorefining and Biofuels known as C2B2, a partnership of four Colorado institutions headquartered at the University of Colorado at Boulder, has announced 12 proposals that have been selected for funding through its 2008 seed grant program.
This year's seed grants were selected from 45 proposals submitted by C2B2 principal investigators from the four institutions, including CU-Boulder, the Colorado School of Mines, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Colorado State University. The seed grant funding is awarded annually with the objective of furthering fundamental understanding and developing new technologies relevant to the commercialization of sustainable biorefining and biofuels processes.
Each of the principal investigators from the selected projects will receive a $50,000 grant. A total of $600,000 in funding will be distributed on Jan. 1, 2009.
"It is exciting to see C2B2 continue to sponsor research at the cutting edge of finding long-term, sustainable solutions for biofuels and biorefining," said C2B2 Managing Director Ryan Gill, also a CU-Boulder chemical and biological engineering department associate professor.
C2B2 Executive Director Alan W. Weimer, also a professor in CU-Boulder's chemical and biological engineering department, said the work that comes from the grants will have a significant impact on the future of biofuel production.
"The 12 seed grants awarded by C2B2 will provide a foundation for improved understanding in the field of biofuels," said Weimer. "The impact may be significant in terms of improved efficiency to grow biomass on marginal lands as well as thermochemical processing and catalytic reforming of the biomass to produce renewable fuels at low cost."
C2B2 is a cooperative research and educational center devoted to the conversion of biomass to fuels and other products. C2B2 was founded in 2007 by the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory, a consortium involving the four institutions.
The winning seed grant proposals were selected by members of C2B2's 32 industry sponsors, including such companies as Archer Daniels Midland Co., Ceres, Chevron Technology Ventures, ConocoPhillips, Dow Chemical, Shell Global Solutions and Symbios Technologies.
C2B2 is supported by state, institutional and industry funds. The center has an annual budget of $2.5 million and received $750,000 in state matching funds from the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory in 2008.
Descriptions of the 12 winning proposals can be viewed at c2b2web.org/3RGrants.php. For more information visit www.c2b2web.org.