This is a Request for Information (RFI) only. DOE will not pay for information provided under this RFI and no project will be supported as a result of this RFI. This RFI is not accepting applications for financial assistance or financial incentives. DOE may or may not issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) based on consideration of the input received from this RFI.
The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to garner input from researchers in industry, academia, and other interested biofuels stakeholders to identify key technical barriers in converting biomass via thermochemical direct liquefaction pathways to transportation fuels in the gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel ranges. For the purpose of this RFI, thermochemical direct liquefaction pathways include fast pyrolysis, in situ and ex situ catalytic pyrolysis, hydropyrolysis, hydrothermal (or solvent) liquefaction followed by various combinations of bio-oil stabilization and upgrading processes. At a recent stakeholder workshop hosted by the Department of Energy’s Office of Biomass Program (OBP) (“Conversion Technologies for Advanced Biofuels”), several technology deficiencies were identified that were applicable to all of these pathways, in particular:
- Developing selective fractionation and separation systems in bio-oil processing;
- Improving H2 production, use, and transfer in biomass liquefaction and bio-oil upgrading; and
- Developing technologies for use and mitigation of the aqueous fraction of bio-oil.
Information regarding the significance of these technical barriers and the resources required to address these technology deficiencies is sought. The information provided may be used by OBP in support of program planning.
All responses to this RFI must be delivered electronically in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) or PDF format as an attachment to an email sent to the following email address: CHASE_RFI@go.doe.gov no later than 8:00 p.m. EDT on December 5, 2012. Emails should have the subject line “RFI Response for CHASE Bio-oil Pathways”.