$8.3 million awarded for biofuels research

The U.S. Agriculture and Energy departments have selected 11 projects for awards totaling $8.3 million for bio-based fuels research.

The projects are designed to accelerate the development of alternative fuel resources.

Officials said the awards continue a commitment started last year for fundamental research into biomass genomics that will facilitate and accelerate the use of woody plant tissue for bioenergy and biofuels.

The Energy Department is to provide $5.5 million in funding for seven projects, while the Agriculture Department will award more than $1.5 million to fund three projects, One project will receive $1.3 million in joint funding from both agencies.

Initial funding will support the research projects for up to three years.

The selected institutions are The University of Minnesota, $715,000; South Dakota State University, $420,000; Mississippi State University, $1.3 million; The University of Georgia, $400,000; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, $1.2 million; The University of Florida, $750,000; The University of Delaware, $600,000; The USDA-Agricultural Research Service (Albany, Calif.) two awards, each of $600,000; The USDA-ARS (Cornell University), $700,000 and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, $1.04 million.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International