Sun Grant Competitive Grants Program Funding Status
The NE-SGI has awarded $985K in competitive grants this year to 1 lead project and 7 seed projects. The NESGI announced the availability of its regional competitive grants program in an RFA released March 1, 2007. Approximately 50 Letters of Intent to submit a proposal were received and used to assist in the selection of the Technical Review Panel. A panel of 8 scientists and stakeholders with broad disciplinary and institutional diversity was selected. Completed grant applications were due April 30, 2007. Thirty-nine (39) completed applications were received. Total funds requested approached $5M. The NESGI allocated $985,000 for funding of regional competitive grants in the 2007 competition.
The funded projects are:
LEAD PROJECT
- Biomass Feedstock Production in the Northeast: Economic and Environmental Implications. $439,000 PI: T. Richard, Pennsylvania State University Collaborating Institutions: Michigan State University, Cornell University, USDA-ARS, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
SEED PROJECTS
- Improving Woody Biomass Separation by Enzymatic Means. PI: N. Kravit, University of Maine. $90,581
- Development of a Temperature-phased Anaerobic Digestion Process for Enhanced Conversion of Solids in Livestock Manure and Food Wastes to Methane. PI: Z. Yu, The Ohio State University. $100,000
- Influence of Alternative Pretreatment Strategies on Cellulosic Ethanol Production using Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation at High Solids Concentrations. PI: J. Gossett, Cornell University. $99,999
- Developing the Potential of Hazelnuts as a Feedstock for Biodiesel and other Oleochemicals in the Northeast. PI: T. Molnar, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. $58,062
- Small Farm Integrated Energy System. PI: Norm Scott, Cornell University. $75,010
- A Biofuel Screening Program for Grass Feedstocks: Diversity, Physiological Traits and Compositional Characteristics for Optimal Yield. PI: J. Rose, Cornell University. $100,000
- Enhanced Microbial Cellulose Degradation and H2 Production above 80 C. PI: J. Holden, University of Massachusetts. $22,346
