Bismarck, ND — The North Dakota Industrial Commission approved $2.8 million in Oil and Gas Research and Renewable Energy Program matching grants for six new research projects. The funding, generated from oil and gas production tax revenue, supports the growth of North Dakota’s oil and gas industry through research and education. The Renewable Energy Program supports the research and development of industrial technologies such as renewable energy, biofuels, biomass, biomaterials, geothermal and renewable hydrogen.
In a joint statement, the three members of the Commission, Governor Doug Burgum, Attorney General Drew Wrigley and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, stated, “The projects approved today represent great opportunities for continuing to add value to our State’s greatest agricultural and energy commodities. We are grateful for the work of these applicants in advancing innovative solutions for our State.”
The approved projects total $2,805,832. They include:
- $982,125 to the North Dakota Petroleum Foundation for its outreach and education program
- $174,830 to Envergex, LLC to create carbon-negative renewable biocoal from waste materials
- $468,877 to UND to investigate increased efficiency of geothermal energy using biopolymers
- $180,000 to UND to develop carbon-negative hydrogen from biogas
- $500,000 to Wellspring Hydro to develop technology for extracting lithium from oilfield wastewater
- $500,000 to UND for developing combined hydrogen, heat and power from biomass
Any person, corporation, partnership, cooperative, association, or consortium of such parties is eligible to apply for Oil and Gas Research and Renewable Energy Program funding. Funds are required to be matched by private dollars. The next submission deadline for Oil and Gas Research grants is June 1, 2023. The deadline for submitting applications to the Renewable Energy Program is May 1, 2023. More information about the two programs may be found on the Industrial Commission’s website at: https://www.nd.gov/ndic/.
