Australia announces winners of Gen 2 grants

Australia’s Minister for Resources and Energy Martin Ferguson announced the winners of the second-generation biofuels research and development (R&D) program, out of the 32 project proposals that were submitted. The winners are: the University of Melbourne (efficient separation, processing and utilization of algal biomass), A$1.2 million (US$1.0 million); Algal Fuels Consortium (pilot-scale second generation biorefinery for sustainable micro algal biofuels and value added products), A$2.7 million (US$2.3 million); Curtin University of Technology (sustainable production of high quality second generation transport biofuels from Mallee biomass by pyrolysis and utilizing the biorefinery concept), A$2.5 million (US$2.1 million); the Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations (BSES) Ltd. (sustainable sugarcane biomass input system for the production of second generation biofuels), A$1.3 million (US$1.1 million); Monash University (pyrolysis biorefinery), A$1.4 million (US$1.2 million); Microbiogen Pty. Ltd. (ethanol from bagasse using patented yeast strains), A$2.5 million (US$2.1 million); and, Licella Pty. Ltd. (commercial demonstration of lignocellulosics to stable bio-crude), A$2.3 million (US$2.0 million). Funding for the above grants are part of the Australian government’s A$4.5 billion (US$3.9 billion) Clean Energy Initiative. (August 8, 2009)