Integrated Biorefinery Research Facility

NREL's Integrated Biorefinery Research Facility (IBRF) enables researchers and industry partners to develop, test, evaluate, and demonstrate processes and technologies for the production of bio-based products and fuels.

Interior of industrial, two-story building with high-bay, piping, and large processing equipment. Three workers in hard hats.

In addition to the facility itself, NREL's world-renowned expert staff works with IBRF partners at every stage of process development, from exploratory process R&D through to pilot-scale process runs.

Capabilities

Versatility in handling a wide range of biomass feedstocks and pretreatment processes
Ability to accommodate and incorporate equipment from partners or third-parties into end-to-end process integration and evaluation tests
High-quality process performance data generation supported by automated data acquisition and process control systems along with world-class chemical analysis
Expertise to integrate multiple technologies for pilot-scale testing and process validation
Experience developing intellectual property and helping industrial partners commercialize technologies.

Testing Facilities and Laboratories

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Biochemical Conversion Pilot Plant

The IBRF's 27,000-ft², high-bay biochemical conversion pilot plant accommodates bench-to-pilot-scale processes for converting cellulosic biomass into a variety of fuels and chemicals at process throughputs of up to one ton of dry biomass per day.

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Photo of a woman in a white lab coat and safety glasses placing samples for testing into a small, box-like piece of equipment; and next to the equipment is a computer.

Compositional Analysis Laboratories

Experienced analytical chemists and chemical technicians staff the IBRF's compositional analysis labs. In addition to producing comprehensive biomass analysis results and standard biomass laboratory procedures, they can also customize analytical methods for new sample types.

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Fuel Testing Laboratories

Advanced biofuels produced in the IBRF can be tested and analyzed in NREL's fuel testing laboratories. Process performance data generated in the IBRF can be incorporated into techno-economic and life-cycle analysis models to estimate market feasibility, cost sensitivities, and environmental sustainability attributes of commercial-scale production.