DOE Bioenergy Program Reauthorization Act

is defined in section 502(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a))). ``(B) An Alaska Native serving institution or Native Hawaiian-serving institution (as such term is defined in section 317(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b))). ``(C) A Predominantly Black institution, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution, or Native American-serving nontribal institution (as such terms are defined in section 371(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c))). ``(17) National laboratory.--The term `National Laboratory' has the meaning given such term in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801). ``(18) Phytobiome.--The term `phytobiome' means a network of interactions of plants, their associated communities of organisms, and their environmental context. ``(19) Tribal college or university.--The term `Tribal College or University' has the meaning given such term in section 316 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c). ``(20) Waste streams.--The term `waste streams' includes municipal solid waste, food waste, urban wood waste, construction and demolition wastes, animal manures, food processing and fermentation waste, sewage, biogas, industrial waste gases, carbon oxides, atmospheric oxides, and waste gases that are effluents or byproduct streams from various societal pursuits that are targeted toward disposal, discharge, or burning. ``(b) Program.--The Secretary shall conduct a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for bioenergy and renewable chemicals and materials (in this section referred to as the `Program'), to carry out the following: ``(1) Identify and address technical challenges, as well as research and development opportunities, that support the availability of the following: ``(A) Renewable carbon resources, including biomass feedstocks, waste streams, and aquatic biomass, used as feedstocks for bioenergy, biobased products, or other purposes. ``(B) Technologies and processes, including fermentation, that break down or convert biomass or waste streams to useful biointermediates, biofuels, or biobased products. ``(C) Analyses, tests, and verifications for scale- up and deployment efforts, including how to integrate diverse components, unit operations, or subsystems to develop streamlined biomanufacturing processes. ``(D) Data, modeling, analysis, and tools to identify and examine high value products and the decarbonization potential for a circular bioeconomy. ``(2) Work with industry partners to identify priority research, development, and demonstration needs, especially regarding the commercialization of sustainable aviation fuel, other strategic transportation fuels, bioenergy, and renewable chemicals and materials. ``(3) Leverage data and modeling, including the development of tools and resources, to understand and quantify environmental and economic effects of emerging biofuel and biobased product technologies. ``(4) Support sustainability research, including the environmental, social, and economic effects of growing and using large quantities of biomass, and identify strategies to integrate biomass and bioenergy production into existing agricultural and forestry systems. ``(5) Support workforce development activities, including training at all levels that expands opportunities for untapped populations, develops new career pathways, and supports the full range of technology-driven jobs to meet domestic workforce demand. ``(6) Develop hiring and funding decisions, project plans, and community engagement to benefit all citizens regardless of background, socioeconomic status, location, or any other factor. ``(7) Conduct strategic communications with relevant external stakeholders. ``(c) Coordination and Collaboration.--As part of the Program, the Secretary, as practicable and appropriate, shall coordinate and collaborate on the following: ``(1) International and interagency efforts involving bioenergy, renewable chemicals and materials, and the bioeconomy, including activities through the following: ``(A) The Biomass Research and Development Board established pursuant to section 9008 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8108). ``(B) The interagency entity relating to sustainable chemistry (popularly referred to as the `Sustainable Chemistry Strategy Team') under subtitle E of title II of division A of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283; 15 U.S.C. 9301 et seq.). ``(C) The National Engineering Biology Research and Development Initiative (section 10402 of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act; 42 U.S.C. 19132). ``(2) Education and workforce development activities with Federal agencies (including the National Science Foundation), private sector entities, National Laboratories, institutions of higher education, including historically Black colleges and universities, Minority-serving institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities, Tribal governments, rural community stakeholders, nonprofit organizations, and international bodies with relevant scientific expertise. ``(3) Engagement with and identification of bioenergy and renewable chemicals and materials research, development, demonstration, and commercial needs of the following: ``(A) The Department of Agriculture. ``(B) The Department of Transportation. ``(C) The Department of Defense. ``(D) The National Science Foundation. ``(E) The National Institute of Standards and Technology. ``(4) Other research, development, demonstration, extension, and commercial activities relating to bioenergy and renewable chemicals and materials with other relevant Federal research agencies. ``(d) Process Development Facilities.-- ``(1) In general.--Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this section and as a part of the Program, the Secretary shall support at least four small-scale process development or scale-up facilities to assist researchers, industry, and the agricultural community in de-risking bioenergy technologies and in producing small quantities of advanced biofuels and biobased products for testing purposes. The Secretary shall ensure such facilities are geographically and technically diverse. ``(2) Request for information.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall publish a request for information that shall be used by the Secretary to evaluate the following: ``(A) Existing process development facilities in the United States, including facilities dedicated to gas fermentation technologies. ``(B) Best practices, including artificial intelligence-ready data collection methods, for collaboration at such facilities. ``(C) Gaps and opportunities for incorporating innovation in manufacturing at such facilities. ``(D) How data derived at such facilities translates to the next scale-up of bioenergy technologies and how such data has enabled computational modeling. ``(3) Access.--The Secretary shall ensure that access to the facilities described in paragraph (2) is provided to eligible researchers on a competitive, technical merit-reviewed basis for activities that demonstrate advanced bioenergy technologies with the potential to lower the cost and improve the environmental impact of advanced biofuels and products, including improving the release of data to broaden the dissemination of information. ``(e) Bioenergy Incubator Funding.-- ``(1) In general.--As a part of the Program, the Secretary shall award grants and cooperative agreements on a competitive, technical merit-reviewed basis to eligible entities to support innovative technologies that are not represented in a significant way in the following: ``(A) The portfolio of bioenergy research activities carried out by the Department of Energy as of the date of the enactment of this section. ``(B) Technology roadmaps used by the Department of Energy as of such date of enactment. ``(2) Implementation.--In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary, as appropriate, shall coordinate across all relevant Department program offices, including the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, the Office of Science, the Office of Technology Transfer, the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, and the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management. ``(f) Integrated Biorefinery Demonstration Projects.-- ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program to demonstrate the commercial application of integrated biorefineries. The Secretary shall ensure geographical distribution of biorefinery demonstrations under such program. In making awards under such program, the Secretary shall encourage the following: ``(A) The demonstration of a wide variety of lignocellulosic feedstock and other forms of feedstocks. ``(B) The commercial application of biomass technologies for a variety of uses, including the following: ``(i) Liquid transportation fuels. ``(ii) High-value biobased chemicals. ``(iii) Production of strategic or valuable biointermediates. ``(iv) Substitutes for petroleum-based feedstocks and products. ``(v) Energy in the form of electricity or useful heat. ``(C) The incorporation of advanced manufacturing technologies such as integrated and continuous manufacturing, automated systems, advanced sensors, digital modeling, and other technologies that can improve the efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of biorefineries. ``(D) The demonstration of the collection and treatment of a variety of biomass feedstocks. ``(2) Proposals.--Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall solicit proposals for demonstrations of integrated biorefineries referred to in paragraph (1). The Secretary shall select only proposals that demonstrate that the project at issue will be able to operate profitably without direct Federal subsidy after initial construction costs are funded. ``(g) University Biodiesel Program.--The Secretary shall establish a demonstration program to determine the feasibility of the operation of diesel electric power generators, using biodiesel fuels with ratings as high as B100, at electric generation facilities owned by institutions of higher education. Such program shall examine the following: ``(1) Heat rates of diesel fuels with large quantities of cellulosic content. ``(2) The reliability of operation of various fuel blends. ``(3) Performance in cold or freezing weather. ``(4) Stability of fuel after extended storage. ``(5) Other criteria, as determined by the Secretary. ``(h) Strategic Plan.-- ``(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall-- ``(A) develop a strategic plan to implement the Program; and ``(B) annually update such plan. ``(2) Scope.--The strategic plan required under paragraph (1) shall address near-term (up to two years), mid-term (up to seven years), and long-term (up to 15 years) research challenges to the advancement of biofuels and biobased products, including opportunities to work with other Federal departments and agencies and external stakeholders to establish a more findable, accessible, interoperable, and responsible data ecosystem for the United States bioeconomy. ``(3) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section and at least once every two years thereafter, the Secretary shall provide, and make available to the public and Congress, a report on the findings of research conducted and activities carried out pursuant to this section, including the most current strategic plan under paragraph (1) and the progress made in implementing such plan. ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section the following: ``(1) $318,150,000 for fiscal year 2027. ``(2) $334,057,500 for fiscal year 2028. ``(3) $350,760,375 for fiscal year 2029. ``(4) $368,299,000 for fiscal year 2030. ``(5) $368,713,950 for fiscal year 2031.''. <all>