Western Regional Blomass Energy Program, Nebraska Energy Office, P.O. Box 95085, 1111

A -- REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR BIOENERGY PROJECTS WHICH ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF BIOMASS ENERGY SOURCES SOL WRBEP FY00 DUE 012800 POC Jeff Graef, 402 471-3218, jgraef@mail.state.ne.us WEB: click here & follow the links to the request for proposals, http://www.westbioenergy.org. E-MAIL: click here to send an email message, jgraef@mail.state.ne.us. Request for Proposals for bioenergy projects which encourage the development and use of biomass energy sources The Western Regional Biomass Energy Program invites qualified applicants to submit proposals for funding for bioenergy projects which encourage the development and use of biomass energy sources. The Western Regional Biomass Energy Program (WRBEP) is one of five Regional Biomass Energy Programs established and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Thirteen states participate in WRBEP, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. Funding for proposals is anticipated to be $290,000. Funding availability is subject to legislation by the United States Congress and the policies of the U.S. Department of Energy. Most projects selected for funding will receive $50,000 or less. Exceptional projects may receive up to $75,000. However, all projects require at least dollar-for-dollar matching funds. The deadline for applications for 2000 funding is 4:30 pm, Central Standard Time, January 28, 2000, received at 1111 "O" Street, Suite 223, P.O. Box 95085 Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-5085. Western reserves the right to reject any or all late proposals without review. Applications must be received by mail or in-person. Electronic filing is not available. For those with Internet access, a copy of the Request for Proposals can be found on November 16th at Western's web site: www.westbioenergy.org. Those without Internet access can receive a printed copy by calling 402 471-3218 or writing to the Western Regional Biomass Energy Program, P.O. Box 95085, Lincoln, NE 68508-5085. Program objectives emphasized in this funding cycle include encouraging and developing biomass energy activities, projects, and technologies involving:  Confined animals -- dairies, poultry, and feedlots;  Food wastes -- cheese & other food processing waste;  Conversion of cellulose to ethanol; cellulase; & increasing the value of ethanol by-products and co-products;  Environmental externalities and/or non-energy benefits;  Forest thinnings-to-energy;  Improvements in economics and/or efficiencies;  Utility deregulation and/or green power;  Biodiesel from waste oils and other waste materials;  Municipal solid waste-to-energy;  Small power, distributed generation, gasification and related technologies;  Assessments of available sugar or starch waste streams from sugar production, sugar products and soft drinks, fruit and fruit products, brewing, and pharmaceuticals; and  Biomass workshops. Eligible applicants include profit, not-for-profit, university, and other interested organizations or individuals in the United States. Either the applicant or the project must be based in the thirteen-state Western Region or be a project that will have substantial positive impact on the Western Region. WRBEP encourages the greater use of biomass energy sources through the use of existing market-ready or near-term technologies. A proposed research or demonstration project should develop or utilize a technology that has a good chance of being a commercial success in the near term. Therefore, basic research projects will not be funded The goal of the Western Regional Biomass Energy Program is to increase the production and use of biomass energy resources for economic development and environmental sustainability. The Western Regional Biomass Energy Program has close affiliations with the U.S. Department of Energy's Offices of Utility and Transportation Technologies. This affiliation places special emphasis on the primary goals of each of these offices which are, respectively, to establish "biomass power as an economically credible and attractive option" for the electric power industry and to decrease the "reliance on imported fuels by the transportation sector". Biomass is renewable organic materials such as forestry and agricultural crops and residues; wood and food processing wastes; and municipal solid waste. Posted 11/16/99 (W-SN401003). (0320)

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