Bioenergy News
Explore our archive of Bioenergy news stories.
Dec. 27, 2019
Funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is fueling five new bioenergy research projects involving NREL scientists.
Dec. 16, 2019
A novel oxygenate molecule that can be produced from biomass shows promise for use as a blend for diesel fuel, according to researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Nov. 6, 2019
Two teams from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have been selected for the most recent cohort of the U.S. Department of Energy's "boot camp" for national-lab-based startups: Cycle, and HeadCount.
Oct. 23, 2019
Researchers said the strain thrives at high temperature and in saltwater, while rapidly converting carbon dioxide into renewable biomass.
Aug. 22, 2019
NREL’s 2019 Partner Forum brought together energy industry leaders across multiple sectors to discuss today’s energy challenges and explore tomorrow’s potential solutions.
Aug. 1, 2019
NREL researchers are creating useful software applications designed to help highlight potential costs and savings associated with renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. In doing so, they hope to shorten the path to commercialization and increase overall adoption of those technologies.
Aug. 1, 2019
Cara Lubner's research focuses on a novel method organisms use to generate energy, called flavin-based electron bifurcation. How this works was a mystery until Lubner and other researchers at NREL discovered the secret.
Aug. 1, 2019
The research will attempt to solve the mystery of what really happens when white-rot fungi -- the best lignin degraders in nature -- meet lignin.
July 8, 2019
Finding a solution wasn't easy. The NREL-developed process at first ran into the problem of a hydrogen deficiency.
June 25, 2019
Researchers with the Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines initiative have identified the six blendstocks from two chemical families that exhibit the greatest potential to dramatically increase efficiency when combined with petroleum-based fuels in boosted (or turbocharged) spark-ignition engines for light-duty vehicles.
June 13, 2019
As part of its partnership with ExxonMobil, NREL researchers will take a closer look at air pollutant emissions from the entire biofuels supply chain, as well as the resulting impacts on air quality.
June 6, 2019
The seeds of microbiology were planted in the inquisitive mind of a young Steve Decker when a microscope—gift-wrapped with his name on it—arrived on a cold Wisconsin morning.
May 8, 2019
A new $100 million agreement between ExxonMobil, NREL, and other DOE national laboratories will focus on developing transformative advanced energy technologies with a focus on reducing emissions.
May 2, 2019
Plastics are essential to modern life--but it's hard to turn on the TV or browse the web without seeing poignant examples of the plastic life cycle extending far beyond usefulness. NREL Senior Research Fellow Gregg Beckham testified before a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee about one possible solution to the plastic pollution problem: chemical recycling.
April 22, 2019
While hundreds of millions of tons of trash continue to be dumped into American landfills annually, a growing percentage has been diverted to recycling centers since the first Earth Day in 1970. But these centers aren't set up for renewable energy technologies.
April 9, 2019
More than 85% of chemical processes rely on catalysts, but limited information on their cost can lead to roadblocks during early-stage research and development and along the path to commercialization. To address this challenge, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory developed a catalyst cost estimation tool that incorporates industry-standard estimation methods into an intuitive, user-friendly suite of tools.
Feb. 27, 2019
The NREL team chemically combined reclaimed polyethylene terephthalate plastic, in the form of single-use beverage bottles, with bio-based compounds to produce higher-value fiber-reinforced plastics that can be used in products from snowboards to vehicle parts to wind turbines.
Feb. 25, 2019
On May 8, investors, start-up companies, and industry leaders from around the world will convene in Denver, Colo., for the third Emerging Markets Day, a forum to discuss the most promising cleantech solutions to the pressing energy challenges faced by emerging economies.
Feb. 25, 2019
The 30 companies were selected after a competitive application and review process from more than 150 applicants.
Feb. 19, 2019
Driving down costs for algae-based biofuels and bioproducts involves enhancing algae productivity through selection of the most promising algae strains and implementation of effective cultivation strategies. To support this effort, NREL and its national laboratory partners formed a consortium project called Development of Integrated Screening, Cultivar Optimization, and Verification (DISCOVR).
Feb. 14, 2019
When industry, government laboratories, and universities work together, creative solutions can arise to environmental challenges. The latest example of this originated when NREL partnered with BHP--a global mining, metals, and petroleum company--to research sustainable ways to clean up legacy mining impacts and develop feedstocks for biofuels.
Jan. 8, 2019
Researchers from NREL and two other national labs have discovered an alternative catalytic fast pyrolysis approach--using fixed-bed reactors and bifunctional catalysts--that significantly improves bio-oil yields and the overall economics of the process to turn biomass into biofuels and bioproducts.
