Much of the federal stimulus money dedicated to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is devoted to general construction, but a significant portion will benefit alternative energy initiatives. So far, here is how it breaks down:
$4 million to the Joint BioEnergy Institute (a partnership that includes the Berkeley Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and several universities) for biofuels research
$6 million to purchase molecular foundry equipment that will be used in nanoscale research for photovoltaic energy production and carbon sequestration
$3 million to fund additional laboratory space used for battery research
$13 million for the U.S. DOE Joint Genome Institute in Walnut Creek (which includes Berkeley Lab as a partner) to conduct gene sequencing research to develop better biofuel feedstock plants
Additionally, the White House announced in spring 2009 that the Department of Energy’s Office of Science will devote $777 million during the next five years to the creation of 46 new Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs), including one at Berkeley. In October 2009, the Lab received $7 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for the development of advanced geothermal energy technologies.
