Interagency Working Groups

Since 2008, the Board has charged interagency working groups to fulfill certain objectives in accordance with its mission. Made up of technical experts from the Board member agencies, these groups meet more regularly than the Board and have been charged to complete several activities.

Current Interagency Working Groups

Feedstocks

The Feedstocks Working Group is assessing research and development needs to promote next generation biofuels while conserving natural resources. It is considering these needs at the scale of feedstock development and production or supply. Specific foci include genetic improvement and best management practices.

Logistics and Distribution

The Logistics and Distribution Working Group is defining means to overcome technical challenges to systems integration, scalability, and deployability, and is evaluating storage and transportation options and trade-offs for both upstream logistics and downstream fuel distribution and end use requirements.

Conversion

The Conversion Working Group is assessing research and development needs to improve and/or optimize the technical, economic, social, human health and environmental performance of biomass conversion technologies and stimulate movement to commercialization.

Algae

The Algae Working Group is advising, communicating, and coordinating federal research, development, demonstration, and deployment activities relating to the production and use of algae and their products/co-products in a sustainable manner within an appropriate regulatory framework.

Supporting Activities

The Board has also indicated that additional coordination or specific activities be considered on such topics as anthropogenic modification of the biological carbon cycle; environmental and human health impacts; and analyses about optimal uses of biomass.

Past Interagency Working Groups

The previous Board formed working groups around the framework laid out in the National Biofuels Action Plan to help implement it across the federal government in Sustainability, Feedstock Production, Feedstock Logistics, Conversion Science and Technology, Distribution Infrastructure, and Environment Health and Safety. Those groups produced reports and products on their findings and are listed below.

• Bioenergy Feedstock Best Management Practices: Summary and Research Needs
• The Economics of Biomass Feedstocks in the United States: A Review of the Literature
• Increasing Feedstock Production for Biofuels: Economic Drivers, Environmental Implications, and the Role of Research
• Sustainable and Adequate Biofuels Feedstock Production: Recommendations for Federal Research and Development
• Biofuel Feedstock Logistics: Recommendations for Research and Commercialization
• Biomass Conversion: Challenges for Federal Research and Commercialization
• GIS-Related Activities