WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley said today that the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a $4,373,488 cooperative agreement to Iowa State University.
“These funds will help Iowa State continue its efforts to move the United States away from our dependence on foreign oil by continuing research to make home-grown renewable fuels a more viable choice,” Grassley said.
According to the Department of Energy, Iowa State will use metabolic engineering and synthetic biology to enhance the production of lipids and increase carbon dioxide assimilation and thermal tolerance within algae for the production of biofuels directly from sunlight and CO2. The technology is expected to help make microalgae-based biofuel production a viable, sustainable and versatile option for fulfilling the needs for renewable alternatives to fossil fuels.
Each year, thousands of local Iowa organizations, colleges and universities, individuals and state agencies apply for competitive grants and loans from the federal government. The funding is then awarded based on each local organization or individual’s ability to meet criteria set by the federal entity.