Federal funding of up to $40 million over five years for two small-scale cellulosic biorefinery projects in Park Falls, Wisconsin and Jennings, Louisianna has been announced by the US Department of Energy.

"To meet our growing energy demand we must continue to research and advance clean energy solutions to improve our energy security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and clean, sustainable cellulosic biofuels do just that," DOE Assistant Secretary Andy Karsner said.  "These biorefineries will create fuel from non-food based sources to power our vehicles and reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

On average, commercial-scale biorefineries process roughly 700 tons or more of non-food feedstock per day, with an output of approximately 15-30 million gallons a year (MMGY) of biofuels.  These smaller-scale facilities will input approximately 70 tons of feedstock per day – with outputs ranging from 1.5 to 6 MMGY. The selected small-scale projects will produce liquid transportation fuels such as cellulosic ethanol from wood, energy crops and agricultural waste products.

These two biorefinery projects are the final round of selections for DOE's competitive small-scale biorefinery solicitation. Earlier this year, DOE selected seven other projects, comparable in size and scope, to receive up to a total of $200 million.  With the addition of the two new projects announced today, the selected biorefinery projects will receive up to a total of $240 million in DOE funding, subject to appropriations, over the next five fiscal years.  Once federal funding is combined with industry cost share, more than $735 million will be invested in these nine projects, over the next four to five years.