Has the Stimulus Package in the US been kind to biomass and biofuels?
The US Stimulus Packages and the significant funding budgeted by Exxon-Mobil in third generation algae technology development has certainly caused a second wave of “algae.com” in the US. Whether the US Stimulus funding delivers a real return on investment in the form of economical and sustainable technologies, or is just a political marketing exercise resulting in a large number of academic and institutional entities and private and public companies all trying to achieve the same objectives with a un-coordinated use of funds and minimum knowledge sharing remains to be seen. Unlike Europe and the UK in support of the 2020 legislated targets, the US situation regarding agricultural, wood based biomass and municipal waste combined heat and power (CHP) technology and project development is not receiving the same federal level interest or stimulus and is more at an individual state and local level of development. California, where the Greensteam Aera project has been developed, is one of th
