This is one of five regional programs established by DOE and designed to encourage greater production and use of biomass for energy generation. Biomass includes wood, crop residues, municipal waste, and other organic materials and can be converted into heat, process steam, electricity, and transportation fuel. In past years, the biomass program has concentrated on promoting the combustion of wood and waste products to produce steam, heat, and electricity at commercial and industrial sites. During the last several years, the program has been focusing more attention on ethanol, a locally produced renewable fuel that can be derived from such things as corn and wood.
State offices perform resource assessment, demonstration projects, and provide technical assistance.
Additional information is available from each state biomass program manager. All demonstration and development projects must address commercially viable technologies and must include substantial cost-sharing. The Steering Council, with input from the Technical Advisory Committee, selects these projects through an annual Request for Proposals process.