The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) is one of four bioenergy research centers established in 2007 by the U.S.

Department of Energy A Ministry of Energy or Department of Energy is a government department in some countries that typically oversees the production of fuel and electricity; in the United States, however, it manages nuclear weapons development and conducts energy-re ...

. It is led by the

University of Wisconsin-Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

with Michigan State University as a primary partner. The goal of GLBRC is to create biofuels and

bioproducts Bioproducts or bio-based products are materials, chemicals and energy derived from renewable biological resources. Bioresources Biological resources include agriculture, forestry, and biologically-derived waste, and there are many other renewable ...

that are economically viable and environmentally sustainable. GLBRC provides a collaborative environment in which researchers with diverse backgrounds are drawn together by their pursuit of scientific questions related to developing sustainable biofuels and bioproducts. GLBRC research focuses on engineering bioenergy crops to enhance their environmental and economic value, generating multiple products from plant biomass, and optimizing the field-to-product pipeline. Its research is integrated across many disciplines and areas of focus, coordinating efforts between academic, federal, and private sector bodies as part of the field-to-product pipeline.

Details

GLBRC is housed within the Wisconsin Energy Institute, an energy research hub situated on the west campus of the

. Other centers include the Center for Bioenergy Innovation in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the

Joint BioEnergy Institute The Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) is a research institute funded by the United States Department of Energy. JBEI is led by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and includes participation from the Sandia National Laboratory, Lawrence Live ...

in Emeryville, California, both of which are based at

United States Department of Energy National Laboratories The United States Department of Energy National Laboratories and Technology Centers is a system of facilities and laboratories overseen by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) for scientific and technological research. Sixteen of the sev ...

, and the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, which is based in

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Univ ...

. In addition to its research, GLBRC runs education and outreach programs that engage the public in current issues in bioenergy, as well as providing resources to professionals and educators. In the spring of 2017, DOE renewed GLBRC's funding for another five years.

Research and Scientific Contributions

Since 2007, GLBRC researchers have produced more than 1,300 scientific publications, 181 patent applications, 95 licenses or options, and five start-up companies. The Center employs over 400 scientists focusing on three primary research areas: sustainable cropping systems, efficient biomass conversion, and field-to-product integration. Some of the Center's discoveries include "Zip-lignin", lipid-producing bacteria, and GVL-based plant deconstruction.

Partners

* Wisconsin Energy Institute * Michigan State University *

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks among the top thre ...

* Michigan Technological University *

Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...

References

External links

Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterBioenergy Science CenterJoint Bioenergy InstituteCenter for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation
{{Authority control Bioenergy organizations University of Wisconsin–Madison