Project types and priorities

(a) Technical Topic Areas. Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI) awards shall be directed (in consultation with the Biomass Research and Development Board, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and heads of other appropriate departments and agencies) in the following three primary technical topic areas:

(1) Feedstocks Development. Research, development, and demonstration activities regarding feedstocks and feedstock logistics (including the harvest, handling, transport, preprocessing, and storage) relevant to production of raw materials for conversion to biofuels and biobased products.

(2) Biofuels and Biobased Products Development. Research, development, and demonstration activities to support—

(i) The development of diverse cost-effective technologies for the use of cellulosic biomass in the production of biofuels and biobased products; and

(ii) Product diversification through technologies relevant to production of a range of biobased products (including chemicals, animal feeds, and cogenerated power) that potentially can increase the feasibility of fuel production in a biorefinery.

(3) Biofuels Development Analysis—(i) Strategic Guidance. The development of analysis that provides strategic guidance for the application of renewable biomass technologies to improve sustainability and environmental quality, cost effectiveness, security, and rural economic development.

(ii) Energy and Environmental Impact. Development of systematic evaluations of the impact of expanded biofuel production on the environment (including forest land) and on the food supply for humans and animals, including the improvement and development of tools for life cycle analysis of current and potential biofuels.

(iii) Assessment of Federal Land. Assessments of the potential of Federal land resources to increase the production of feedstocks for biofuels and biobased products, consistent with the integrity of soil and water resources and with other environmental considerations.

(b) Additional considerations. Within the technical topic areas described in paragraph (a) of this section, NIFA, in cooperation with DOE, shall support research and development to—

(1) Create continuously expanding opportunities for participants in existing biofuels production by seeking synergies and continuity with current technologies and practices;

(2) Maximize the environmental, economic, and social benefits of production of biofuels and derived biobased products on a large scale; and

(3) Facilitate small-scale production and local and on-farm use of biofuels, including the development of smallscale gasification technologies for production of biofuel from cellulosic feedstocks.

[75 FR 33498, June 14, 2010, as amended at 76 FR 38549, July 1, 2011]