Clemson BioEnergy Summit follows the ‘rules of the road’ to federal funding

Published: October 16, 2009

image by: Clemson University

FLORENCE — There’s never been a better time for public-private partnerships to succeed in the field of green energy, a leading energy consultant said at the 2009 S.C. BioEnergy Summit.

Doug Faulkner, president of green energy consulting firm Chrysalis Energy Partners and former undersecretary for rural development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said the economy remains tough and investors are cautious, but federal money is available.

Getting to those funds can be tricky, and the large amounts of money are attracting high levels of interest. To benefit from never-before-seen government investment in alternative energy, the next generation of bioenergy companies must concentrate on specific targets and present watertight business plans, Faulkner said.

“There’s a lot of federal money available from a lot of different places,” he said. “But you don’t want to waste time chasing the wrong targets.”

Faulkner said the “rules of the road” for the federal government when examining proposals include: Does the proposal stand a good chance of getting to market? How strong are the partnerships seeking funding? What’s the geography of the proposal and does it makes sense from a business standpoint?

Companies may gain an edge if they take time to understand federal government structure, procedures and timelines, Faulkner said. Build a strong team, be patient and focus on specific funding goals.

And perhaps the most important tip: answer all the questions that are asked, he said.

“The government will dig deep into your business plan,” Faulkner said.

Faulkner was the keynote speaker Thursday at the summit at the Clemson University Pee Dee Research and Education Center.

This year’s summit, which was attended by about 300 people, was hosted with the S.C. Biomass Council and S.C. Energy Office. It marked the largest bioenergy conference ever organized by the Florence research center.

Presentations and roundtable discussions included renewable energy and climate change legislation, the effect of climate change legislation on South Carolina agriculture, bioenergy opportunities for agriculture and forestry, and South Carolina’s switchgrass initiative.

Joe James, president of Columbia-based Agri-Tech Producers and founding member of the S.C. Biomass Council, moderated a discussion of “Greening Black America,” an initiative that seeks to ensure the Southeast’s African-American farmers and rural communities are part of an economy based on renewable energy.

John Clark, director of the S.C. Energy Office, told the summit that the “green revolution” is coming and will come whether South Carolina is out in front or following behind. 

It’s coming with tremendous economic opportunities, Clark said, and South Carolina should be a leader in the revolution. The state is blessed with abundant sunshine, offshore wind potential and naturally occurring biomass feedstocks for biofuels. There is no reason why the state should not play a pivotal role, Clark said.

“We need to look at this green revolution as an economic plus for South Carolina,” he said.

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