Forest residue biomass presents an excellent opportunity to produce valuable organic molecules such as HMF and formic acid from the lignocellulosic constituents that make up the vast majority of woody…

Skyvision Sciences, LLC received a $181,498 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 10.212), awarded September 1, 2025, with completion targeted for April 30, 2026. The grant funds development of a hybrid semiconductor light-harvesting material combined with a nickel-based molecular catalyst designed to simultaneously produce hydrogen gas and convert forest residue biomass into value-added organic products, specifically hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and formic acid. The technology leverages semiconductor nanoparticles enhanced to absorb a broader spectrum of solar radiation, improving overall system efficiency while addressing forest health objectives through reduction of fire-prone biomass accumulation.

The research will also investigate methods for processing forest residues to optimize access to their lignocellulosic constituents, generating foundational knowledge applicable to broader biomass valorization efforts industry-wide. This Phase I effort demonstrates technical feasibility of converting woody waste materials into commercially viable biofuel platform molecules, positioning the innovation for potential commercialization and addressing dual objectives of forest management and renewable energy production.

Forest residue biomass presents an excellent opportunity to produce valuable organic molecules such as HMF and formic acid from the lignocellulosic constituents that make up the vast majority of woody residues. Removal of these residues helps to promote forest health by reducing the amount of tinder that can cause fires to burn out of control and consume more forest than necessary for the health of the ecosystem. These biomass residues can also be transformed into biofuel platform molecules, creating a revenue stream from waste. Skyvision proposes ahybrid semiconductor light-harvesting material that can be combined with a NI-based molecular catalyst to simultaneously produce hydrogen gas and convert forest residues into valuable organic products including HMF and formic acid.directly related to this solicitation, the proposed technology involves the use of semiconductornanoparticles as a light harvesting material that are enhanced to absorb a larger range of solar irradiation, increasing the overall efficiency of the system. In addition, the nanoparticle technology proposed is targeted to produce value-added biofuel molecules. These factors, as well as literature precedent for various components of the proposed system, indicate that this technology will serve to help meet the long-term goals of this program. In addition, methods for processing forest residues will be studied to increase access to the lignocellulosic nature of the material. This information will be fundamentally valuable to all future valorization studies in the entire field and serve to drive all progress to increased utilization and valorization of forest residue biomass.