ROBUST ENGINEERED CATALYSTS FOR THE CONVERSION OF ALGAE AND WASTE OLEAGINOUS BIOMASS FEEDSTOCKS TO FUEL-LIKE HYDROCARBONS VIA DECARBOXYLATION/DECARBONYLATION. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO FURTHER ADVANCE THE DECARBOXYLATION/DECARBONYLATION (DECOX) TECHNOLOGY WHICH HAS BEEN STUDIED AS AN ALTERNATIVE DEOXYGENATION ROUTE TO HYDRODEOXYGENATION (HDO). WHILE PREVIOUS FUNDING HAS ENABLED THE DEVELOPMENT AND FUNDAMENTAL STUDY OF DECOX CATALYSTS AND PROCESSES, EERE FUNDING WILL ALLOW FOR THIS TECHNOLOGY TO BE FURTHER DEVELOPED AND ADVANCED ALONG THE PATH TOWARDS COMMERCIALIZATION. INDEED, THE INVOLVEMENT OF TWO INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS IN THE PROJECT IN GENERAL – AND IN THE ASSESSMENT OF RESOURCE METRICS AND TECHNOECONOMIC ANALYSIS IN PARTICULAR – WILL DE-RISK THE DECOX-BASED PATHWAY TO CONVERT INEXPENSIVE WASTE FEEDS TO FUEL-LIKE HYDROCARBONS. IN TURN, THIS PATHWAY WILL HELP THE HEFA ROUTE TO RD AND SAF OVERCOME KEY MARKET BARRIERS AND TRANSFORM THIS TECHNOLOGY IN A WAY THAT INDUSTRY BY ITSELF HAS BEEN RELUCTANT TO DO DUE TO TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL UNCERTAINTIES. IN SO DOING, THIS PROJECT WILL ULTIMATELY HELP INCREASE EMPLOYMENT, INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION, AND ENERGY INDEPENDENCE, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME REDUCING GHG EMISSIONS.