Resources to Support Commercialization and Use of Bioethanol

As near-term competitiveness of ethanol from biomass, or bioethanol, increases, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Fuels Development Program seeks to make its resources available to industrial companies and stakeholder groups to accelerate large-scale production and use of bioethanol as a transportation fuel in the United States.DOE has identified types of industrial companies andstakeholders that are vital to this effort, and it now seeks to match resources with specific needs of these companies and groups. Potential industrial partners include technology development companies and ethanol producers. Stakeholders include groups who have a specific issue, such as excess forest or agricultural residues, that biomass-to-ethanol conversion technology may solve. Working withthese companies and groups, DOE seeks to explore opportunities for applying the broad range of resources DOE has developed during nearly 20 years of research and development in bioethanol. Resources include technical information and expertise, research facilities and equipment, a pilot plant, a broad base of contacts in and knowledge about the ethanol and the transportation fuels industries, andfunding assistance. DOE's strong ties with industry can facilitate productive linkages among industry members and between stakeholders and industry members.