The U.S. Energy Department said it was providing $13.4 million in funding to help develop technology to make biofuels competitive with conventional fuels.

Five research projects in California, Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota and Wisconsin are receiving federal funding to develop advanced methods to drive the cost down for producing gasoline and other fuels from biomass.

"These products not only will help reduce carbon emissions, but also advance the department's work to enable the production of clean, renewable and cost-competitive drop-in biofuel at $3 per gallon by 2022," the department said in a Thursday announcement.

Data from 2011 shows some biofuels were close to the point at which they'd be competitive with regular fuels.

Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said the government is looking for ways to increase energy security and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by advancing a low-carbon economy.

The transportation sector in the United States accounts for nearly 60 percent of domestic oil consumption and 30 percent of overall emissions.