Two additional grants from the Forest Biomass to Carbon-Negative Biofuels Program bring California’s total investments in the technology to $4 million
May 31, 2023
SACRAMENTO - California has awarded two new grants totaling $1 million to projects that will develop technology to convert biomass to carbon-negative energy. The Department of Conservation announced
the first six awards through the Forest Biomass to Carbon-Negative Biofuels Program on April 18; the two new grants are also part of that grant opportunity, but are specific to projects that will be implemented through tribal partnerships. These investments will help meet the Governor’s goals for enhancing Tribal sovereignty and self-sufficiency while also contributing toward statewide goals for forest health.
The new awards bring the state’s total program investment to $4 million for projects that will also improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk, and improve the state’s watershed in the Sierra Nevada.
The two most recently awarded projects – each of which will receive a $500,000 grant – are:
- Kore Infrastructure’s Kore/Tule River Forest Biomass to Carbon-Negative Biofuel: This project will develop a forest biomass to carbon-negative hydrogen project on the Tule River Tribe reservation. Kore’s unique technology fits the Tule River Economic Development Corporation’s goal to develop a renewable energy campus that could scale up to meet future demand for carbon-negative energy.
- Redding Rancheria Economic Development Corporation’s (RREDCO) Forest Biomass to Carbon-Negative Biofuels Pilot Program: This project will assist in developing a new hydrogen production facility in Red Bluff. The hydrogen will help address climate change by providing clean fuel for transportation on the I-5 corridor, replacing fossil fuels that emit CO2 and eventually providing electricity as well. The hydrogen will be produced utilizing forest biomass from the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Both projects focus on repurposing “woody biomass waste” – treetops and branches, undergrowth such as shrubs and other forest litter collected for wildfire mitigation. Removal of this waste reduces the risks to public safety or infrastructure from wildfire, creates defensible space and supports other forest restoration projects. Funded projects are meant to show the technical viability of businesses creating value from this waste product, and support California’s drive toward alternative energy and climate resilience.
“We congratulate these awardees and look forward to ongoing collaboration up and down the Sierra Nevada,” Conservation Director David Shabazian said. “Converting forest biomass waste into carbon-negative energy is a critical part of achieving California’s climate goals while reducing wildfire hazards, improving watersheds and supporting sustainable local economies in these regions.”
The department’s
Forest Biomass to Carbon-Negative Biofuels Pilot Program funded these applicants in Sierra Nevada region because they demonstrate technologies and plans for the creation of energy from Sierra Nevada-sourced forest biomass to help offset the use of fossil fuel, improve forest and community resilience and create regional economic opportunities.
“This first-of-its-kind project solves two of California’s most pressing challenges: reducing wildfire risk while decarbonizing transportation,” said Kore Infrastructure Founder and CEO Cornelius Shields.
“We are proud to partner with the Tule River Economic Development Corporation, which will own and operate the facility on their reservation east of Porterville, in support of their energy independence goals. Conservation’s support is critical to helping make renewable energy innovation like Kore’s available to all.”
Tule River Economic Development Corporation CEO Dennis Ickes noted that the Tule River Tribe hopes to balance economic opportunity with environmental protection.
“We are pleased Conservation has chosen Kore and TREDC as a recipient, knowing that this grant will help further our plans for an answer to climate change and a chance to further our economic development,” Ickes said.
Jeremy Hayward, tribal member and President of the Redding Rancheria Hydrogen 2 Energy Corporation, described his tribe’s proposal as forward-looking.
“As tribal members we’ve learned to be responsible for the next seven generations,” he said. “Producing hydrogen from excess forest biomass is a win/win for the environment, addressing climate change and destructive forest fires at the same time. We must do our part to make this world a better place for our kids.”
The Forest Biomass to Carbon-Negative Biofuels Pilot Program is funded by a $50 million budget allocation made in 2022. The Department of Conservation administers the program in close coordination with the California Energy Commission and the California Air Resources Board, as well as other state entities sharing similar climate goals.
All Phase 1 awards for the Forest Biomass to Carbon-Negative Biofuels Pilot Program are listed on the program’s webpage.
Phase 2 of the pilot program will include construction of facilities that will convert Sierra Nevada forest biomass waste into carbon-negative energy. Grants awards for that second phase are expected in 2024.
