A signature program of the Institute on

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A signature program of the Institute on the
Environment
Renewable Energy and the Environment
Grants 2008 RFP Guidelines
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• Agenda
• Overview
• IREEs portfolio/Balance
• Funding Categories/Funding
• Availability, Key Dates
• Large grants
• Seed grants
• Review criteria
• Large grant review process
• Q/A Discussion

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New Faces at IREE
Renee Obrecht-Como and Jon Foley Rod
Larkins
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Mission (est. 2003)
To promote statewide economic development
sustainable, healthy and diverse ecosystems and
national energy security through development of
bio-based and other renewable resources and
processes
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IREEs Core Values (Revised and
approved, August 2008) Impact We focus on
transformative research and technology
development, with the prospect of achieving
breakthroughs in renewable energy to address
compelling societal or market needs. Environmenta
l benefits Viable renewable energy alternatives
must be environmentally benign and, ideally, are
ecologically restorative. Collaboration Renewable
energy breakthroughs are most likely to occur in
a multi-disciplinary context when University
scholars engage with strategic Leadership We
seek to position Minnesota as a leader in the
renewable energy economy. Balanced
portfolio IREE investments will be balanced to
address both short- and long-term opportunities
the expectations of IREEs funding sources and
all aspects of the Universitys land-grant
mission.
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IREE invites proposals for exceptionally
innovative projects that create the potential for
breakthroughs in renewable energy on a national
or international scale, while maximizing benefits
to the environment. IREE grants intended to
support new projects and initiatives
Previously-funded teams must demonstrate that
the proposed project meets the priorities of this
RFP and either develops new projects and
collaborations or extends highly effective
existing projects and collaborations in new
directions
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• Funding for IREE is legislatively mandated from
  Xcel Energy
• Renewable Development Fund and Conservation
  Improvement
• program. (Minn. Stat. 216B.241, subdivision 6
  (2007)
• ....to support basic and applied research and
  demonstration
• activities (at IREE).including but not limited
  to
• environmentally sound production of energy from a
  renewable energy source including biomass
• environmentally sound production of hydrogen from
  biomass and any other renewable energy source for
  energy storage and energy utilization
• development of energy conservation and efficient
  energy utilization technologies
• energy storage technologies and
• analysis of policy options to facilitate adoption
  of technologies that use or produce low-carbon
  renewable energy

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• (Minn, Stat. 216B.241, subdivision 6 (2007) -
  cont,
• For the purposes of this subdivision
• renewable energy source means hydro, wind,
  solar, biomass and geothermal energy, and
  microorganisms used as an energy source and
• biomass means plant and animal material,
  agricultural and forest residues, mixed municipal
  solid waste, and sludge from wastewater treatment.

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IREEs Programmatic Portfolio
integrates research and development, technology
demonstration, education, and outreach across the
following areas
BioEnergy and Bioproducts
Algae
Solar
Catalysis Biological/ Chemical
Thermal Photo-voltaics
Next Gen Feedstocks
Conservation Efficient Energy Utilization
Wind, Hydro, Geo
Production Storage (eg.
Hydrogen) Utilization
Policy, Economics and
Ecosystems (including CO2
sequestration/GHG reductions)
Next Gen LCA
Education, Curriculum Development, and Outreach
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Next Generation Bioenergy/Bioproducts Systems
Next-generation feedstocks
Next-generation conversion systems
Next-generation Fuels/products
e.g. Energy crops Woody biomass Prairie
systems Microalgae Microbes Waste streams
eg. DME Methanol Green diesel Butanol Alkanes Poly
mers Bldg matls Power
Biochem
Integrated
Thermochem
Policy, Economics and Ecosystems (including CO2
sequestration/GHG reductions)
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The Research/Development/CommercializationConti
nuum
Basic Research
Applied Research
Pilot Scale
Commercial Application
Demonstration
PhD, Masters, Undergraduate, Outreach
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• Rural investments
• (IREE) must set aside at least 15 of the funds
  received annually .
• for qualified projects conducted at a rural
  campus or experiment station. Any amount of the
  set aside funds that has not been awarded . at
  the end of the fiscal year must revert back to
  the initiative for its exclusive use.
• Some key points
• We want our investment in some strategic bigger
  ideas (to) create
• some new applications, strongly linked to
  TC-based basic research
• how to connect to translational research.
  Funds need to be strategically
• placed.both programmatically and
  geographically (President Bruininks)
• Definition of rural other than the TC campus
• Not a separate RFP
• IREE encourages proposals from across the
  system, especially proposals
• that integrate Twin Cities-based investigators
  and investigators from the
• coordinate campuses, Research and Outreach
  Centers (ROCs), UMore

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• Funding Categories/Funds Available
• Large Grants (4 M under this RFP and again in
  two years)
• may be up to 3 years in duration
• intended as one-time, strategic venture capital
  investments
• to launch potentially transformative projects
  in emerging fields of
• importance to renewable energy and the
  environment
• Projects should help position MN as a world
  leader
• Bold, ambitious projects that employ integrated
  research across
• one or more clearly defined renewable energy
  systems in order to
• focus on significant renewable energy issues
  are strongly
• encouraged
• A clear business plan/exit strategy for
  securing extramural
• funding in the future

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• Large Grants cont.
• Key dates
• Pre-proposals due October 16, 2008
• proposals will be evaluated for strategic fit
  with the overall
• IREE portfolio and the priorities of this RFP
• a subset of proposed projects will be invited to
  compete
• with a full proposal
• Only invited full proposals will be considered
• and will be due on December 10, 2008

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• Seed Grants ( 500,000 available and annually
  thereafter)
• expected to be one year in duration
• intended to explore the potential for high-risk,
  high-potential
• projects in the initial stages of development
• IREE anticipates awarding seven to nine Seed
  grants of
• 50,000 to 70,000
• Seed proposals due on December 5, 2008

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• Review criteria proposals will be evaluated on
  the extent to which the projects
• fit IREEs mission and core values, and
  legislative intent for
• IREEs funding mandate
• demonstrate exceptional innovation and the
  potential for major
• breakthroughs in renewable energy on a national
  or international
• scale, while maximizing benefits to the
  environment
• create the potential for producing significant
  quantities of energy
• in environmentally sustainable ways
• position the University of Minnesota as a world
  leader in renewable
• energy and the environment and builds on
  University of Minnesota
• and state of Minnesota competitive advantages
• display scientific and technical excellence
• demonstrate truly integrative, functioning
  interdisciplinary team,

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• Review criteria cont.
• a business plan
• a clear statement of work, with goals and
  objectives, methods to
• be employed, and a timeline that highlights
  projected milestones
• summary of the role or contribution of each
  PI/co-PI and other
• project personnel
• possible pitfalls and alternative approaches
• a clear exit strategy to secure additional,
  long-term
• funding to sustain and expand the proposed the
  work with
• other fund when the IREE grant concludes
• Venture Capital model

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• Review criteria cont.
• proposal clearly describes the work in the
  context of a defined
• renewable energy system with integration of
  one or more of the
• IREE thrust areas and research on policy,
  economics, and
• ecosystems encouraged
• maximize relations with external entities,
  policy makers,
• and/or the public
• includes a plan of disseminating information and
  integrating
• findings into the teaching curriculum and
  outreach and education
• to non-scientific and business communities
• incorporate graduate student, postdoctoral, and
  undergraduate
• researchers

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Flow diagram of IREE Large Grant review process
Match to IREE programmatic portfolio? Thrust
area?
U of MN strategic strength
National need for renewable energy
Pre Proposal Strategic review team
Pre-proposals due October 16, 2008
IREE staff intake/ review
IREEs invitation to submit full proposal (early
Nov. 2008)
Transformative
Exit strategy
Interdisciplinary team and appropriate
partnerships?
Reflect IREE mission RFP priorities
Full proposals due December 10, 2008
Strategic considerations (U of Mn strategic
strength, national need, economic potential,
environmental benefits
Review of ad hoc groups scores and comments
Opportunity to comment on
Full Proposal Ad hoc review group
Internal Review/ recommendation
Final decision
Scoring criteria
Strategic Considerations Balance (rural ,
thrusts, etc.)
Scientific/ Technical merit
Novel or innovative and transformative research
Budget revisions funds available (early Feb.
2008)
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http//www1.umn.edu/iree/funding/funding.html
Richard A. (Dick) Hemmingsen 612-625-2263 hemmings
_at_umn.edu Renee Obrecht-Como 612-626-3879 robrecht_at_
umn.edu Rodney Larkins 612-625-6055 larki071_at_umn.e
du