Advancing Biofuels Commercialization

2011 – 2012 Request for Applications
Program and Application Information

North Carolina’s Statewide Biofuels Endeavor

To accelerate development of a statewide biofuels industry, the Biofuels Center of North Carolina funds projects and activities supporting its legislatively mandated mission of implementing North Carolina’s Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership. To achieve the goal of the Plan and of the state – that 10 percent of North Carolina’s liquid transportation fuels come from biofuels grown, produced, and sold in-state by 2017 – the Center annually identifies areas of greatest need to move science, research, and feedstocks to commercialization, production, and consumer acceptance.

Developing and strengthening biofuels across North Carolina is undertaken by varied Center activities with varied partners. Key among those activities is a grants program. In its first three funding cycles – in 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2010-2011 – the Center awarded $6,906,060 for 48 projects. Listings of previously funded projects can be found in the Grants menu to the left.

Biofuels Center program activities are designed comprehensively to identify and bridge gaps in knowledge and information, speed the development of technology to industry, and strengthen a growing biofuels community statewide.

Funding Opportunities

The Biofuels Center of North Carolina has determined targeted areas for 2012 funding that will advance commercialization of biofuels across the state. Funding opportunities for the 2011-2012 Advancing Biofuels Commercialization program are in two categories listed below.

Category 1: Request for Bid – These projects have detailed specifications.
Bid Descriptions

Bid 1: Woody Biomass/MSW Process
Bid 2: Assessment of Foreign Mandates for Biomass
Bid 3: Growing Energy Grasses on Capped Landfills
Bid 4: Analysis of Effect on N.C. Wood-based Biofuels by Other Sectors
Bid 5: Hybrid Poplar Selection for Bioenergy Feedstock Production
Bid 6: The Arundo donax Response to Nitrogen

Category 2: Request for Proposal – The Center will only fund these priorities in 2011-2012.
Priority Descriptions

Priority 1: Producing Biomass in a Sustainable Way
Priority 2: Civic and Small-scale Biofuels
Priority 3: Project Proposals from North Carolina’s Seven Regional Economic Development Partnerships

General Submission Guidelines

All submissions described in this announcement must observe these guidelines.

Any North Carolina-based non-profit organization – including educational and research institutions, economic development organizations, and civic entities – is eligible. Non-profit entities must have been in existence for at least 12 months prior to the submission date.
For-profit entities may partner with non-profits on collaborative projects; however, the project must clearly further the mission of the non-profit organization and the non-profit must act as the directing, reporting, and fiscal agent.
Applicants may propose more than one project but each project must stand on its own with separate budgets and deliverables.
Capital projects and project overhead will not be funded.
Outcomes of awarded projects will be shared across the state, to the extent possible, to maximize the benefit to the biofuels sector.
Submissions not conforming to program guidelines and procedures may be administratively declined before review.
Principals of awarded projects must attend a grant management meeting on Friday, 23 March 2012.
Contracts must be executed by 30 June 2012.

Questions

Applicants with questions may contact Kris Allsbury, Director of Contracts and Grants for the Biofuels Center of North Carolina, at 919-693-3000, ext. 259.