North Central Region Energy Directory

The Office of Biorenewable Programs is an outgrowth of the Bioeconomy Initiative -- a campuswide effort, launched in 2002, to investigate the use of biorenewable resources as sustainable feedstocks for producing chemicals, fuels, materials, and energy. It is a collaboration of 15 departments in five colleges and 13 research centers. Contact: Robert Brown

Iowa's Program in Biorenewable Resources for Biofuels and Biobased Products is part of the Plant Sciences Institute at Iowa State University which leads a major research thrust to address biotechnological, environmental and socioeconomic issues in producing biofuels and biobased products. The Institute applies advanced technologies for sustainable production and efficient processing of bioenergy feedstocks. The program focuses on five areas of research: feedstock production, feedstock improvement, feedstock conversion, advanced technologies and socioeconomic issues. Principal Contact: Lawrence Johnson

The Center for Crops Utilization Research is a multidisciplinary research, development and technology transfer program focusing on new processes, products and markets for corn, soybeans and other Midwest crops. It includes a pilot plant processing and support center for wet and dry processing, fermentation and product recovery, hazardous solvent extraction, industrial product development, food preparation and consumer and sensory testing. Director: Lawrence Johnson

The Iowa Energy Center conducts and sponsors research, education and demonstration projects within the renewable energy and energy efficiency arena. Director: Floyd Barwig

Click here for a listing of Iowa State University researchers, economists and educators. 

The Agricultural Products Utilization Forum consists of over 80 scientists from various departments and four colleges across the K-State campus who are conducting research on agricultural-based materials to generate products of higher value. Such higher value offers more return to the farmers, creates processing jobs, and encourages rural development.  Director: Ron Madl

KSU Center for Sustainable Energy consists of faculty in Plant Science from Genetics to Production agriculture, with special strengths in Wheat and Grain Sorghum. Research is being conducted in logistics analysis to identify the best types of biomass to be grown on the available soil types, taking into account the erodability of the soil and the average rainfall in the regions. Additionally, research includes determining cost analysis for gathering different types of biomass, storage and transportation issues before processing; processing strengths in developing new uses for distillers grain from current EtOH plants, as well as developing new information on pretreatment of cellulosic biomass to make it suseptible to enzymatic hydrolysis, and for C5 fermentation to ethanol and other high value chemicals, such as butanol, assessment of the sociological, environmental and economic impact of bioenergy plant expansion in the midwest on rural communities. Co-Director: Ron Madl

The Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment is part of the College of Agriculture. It was established to coordinate and enhance research, extension and teaching activities pertaining to environmental issues related to agriculture, including soil conservation and quality, waste management, water conservation and use and water quality. The focus is on utilization and protection of natural resources. Director: William Hargrove

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Michigan State University

The Biomass Conversion Research Laboratory (BCRL) is a group of people committed to the idea that our society need not, indeed must not, be so totally and dangerously dependent on petroleum as a raw material. We seek to develop cost effective, efficient and environmentally attractive systems for converting renewable plant materials into fuels, chemicals and animal feeds. We regard ourselves as “serious dreamers” and collaborate extensively with other visionary but practical individuals. We are not as so many Don Quixote’s tilting at windmills. We believe that plant biomass can supply large scale energy services while still feeding humankind and that this emerging industry can be both economically and environmentally sound. Faculty Advisor: Bruce Dale

Center for Biobased Renewable Energy was established by the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering in collaboration with the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the Department of Forestry. The primary focus of this multidisciplinary center will be to conduct research to convert biomass into renewable energy. Director: Steve Pueppke

Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station is comprised of researchers from five colleges at MSU: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Natural Science, Engineering, Social Science and Veterinary Medicine. These researchers, in laboratories and offices on campus and field research stations around the state, investigate topics that range from forest product development to food safety, new varieties of fruits and vegetables, water quality, livestock production, rural and community development, and the quality of life of Michigan youth and families. Director: Steve Pueppke

Wind Energy

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© 2006 Michigan State University Board of Trustees

North Dakota State University

North Dakota Biomass Energy Task Force reviews biomass energy activities, development and potential in the state; reviews policies/programs related to biomass development and proposes legislation for promoting biomass as an energy source for the state. Contact: Ken Hellevang

North Dakota Renewable Energy Partnership (NDREP) is a conglomeration of NDSU Extension Service faculty that seeks to promote ethanol, biodiesel, wind and biomass energy production in the state through expanded markets and development for renewable energy.

North Dakota State University Oilseed Development Center of Excellence is a multi-disciplinary team whose goal is to increase competitiveness in production and processing of biodiesel. Director William Wilson 

Click here for a listing of North Dakota State University researchers, economists and educators.

Ohio State University

The Carbon Management and Sequestration Center seeks to minimize carbon loss and maximize carbon retention in lthe land, reducing the effects of carbon on global climate change. The research focuses on understanding and enhancing the science, management and policy of carbon within terrestrial and aquatic pools, their linkages with the atmospheric pool, and the effects of anthropogenic perturbations on these pools and linkages among them. Director: Rattan Lal

The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) is dedicated to enhancing the well-being of people throughout the world through research on food, agriculture, family, and the environment. Director: Steven Slack

The Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center (OBIC) is a new research initiative that integrates academia and industry toward the development of renewable specialty chemicals, polymers/plastics and advanced materials. Director: Stephen Myers

Click here for a listing of Ohio State University researchers, economists and educators.

Purdue University

The Laboratory of Renewable resources Engineering (LORRE) completes research on transforming renewable resources to liquid fuels. LORRE serves as an Integrative Center for Biotechnology and Engineering which carries out multi-disciplinary research in bioenergy, bioprocessing, bioproducts , bionanotechnology, and biorecovery. Director: Michael Ladisch

The Bioenergy page of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension office gives links to research papers by faculty of the university. Additionally, updated news and related links are available.

The Energy Center at Discovery Park is a resource for information about all types of alternative energy sources. The Energy Center at Discovery Park is a multidisciplinary academic community of over 75 researchers, scientists, engineers, political scientists, and economists. The goal is to make significant contributions to the energy solutions needed by the State, Nation, and the World. Contact: Jay Gore

Click here for a listing of Purdue University researchers, economists and educators.

© 2006 - Purdue University - All Rights Reserved.

South Dakota State University

The Center for Bioprocessing Research and Development is a collaboration among South Dakota State University, South Dakota’s School of Mines and the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory to study bioprocessing and biorefining. Research includes new technologies for processing lignocellulose materials into ethanol and building block chemicals to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and to lower the production of greenhouse gases. Principal Investigator: Robb Winter

The South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station conducts research in seven theme areas: biostress, agricultural production, natural resources and their conservation, people, biotechnology, bio-based energy and industry. Director: John D. Kirby

Click here for a listing of South Dakota State University researchers, economists and educators.

© Copyright 2004 South Dakota State University Board of Regents.  All rights reserved.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The Center for Advanced BioEnergy Research (CABER) is designed to foster the development of inter-disciplinary research and development, education and outreach programs that promote greater and more efficient use of biorenewable resources, and more specifically, support the emergence of advanced biofuels and chemicals. CABER is expected to focus on sustainable bioenergy systems, including plant, microbial, downstream processing and economics, policy and rural development, and commercialization issues as they relate to the production of biobased products. For more information contact: Hans Blascheck or Gregory Knott

The Energy Bioscience Institute is a collaboration among University of California-Berkley, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to examine problems that include the sustainable production of cellulosic biofuels, enhanced biological carbon sequestration, bioprocessing of fossil fuels and biologically enhanced petroleum recovery.  Lead Investigator: Stephen P. Long

Click here for a listing of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign researchers, economists and educators.

University of Minnesota

The Initiative for Renewable Energy and Environment (IREE) provides leadership in research and development to support the goal of an economy based on hydrogen and other renewables. IREE completes research in bioenergy, bioproducts, efficient renewable energy stystems, hydrogen, policy, economics and carbon sequestration. Director: Dick Hemmingsen

The Center for Biorefining is affiliated with the University of Minnesota Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment to coordinate the University efforts and resources to conduct exploratory fundamental and applied research; provide education on bioenergy, biochemicals and biomaterials; stimulate collaboration among the University researchers, other public sector investigators, and private investigators involved in biobased production technology development; promote technology transfer to industries; and foster economic development in rural areas. Co-Directors: Roger Ruan and Vance Morey 

Click here for a listing of University of Minnesota researchers, economists and educators.

© 2003 by the Regents of the University of Minnesota.

University of Missouri

The Economics and Management of Agrobiotechnology Center is a research institute that provides rigorous, data-based analysis of economic, management and policy issues affecting decision-making in agrobiotechnology. Director: Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes 

© 2007 EMAC

Missouri Agriculture Experiment Station conducts problem-solving research that helps the state's citizens make the most effective use possible of the state's natural resource base, including its people resources, in competing in an increasingly global economy and meeting our obligations as global citizens. Assistant Director: Marc Linit

Click here for a listing of University of Missouri researchers, economists and educators.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research (NCESR) is a collaboration between the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), was established in April 2006 to conduct research on renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and energy conservation; and to expand economic opportunities and improve quality of life for Nebraska and the nation. Director: Ken Cassman

© 2007 NCESR

The Industrial Agricultural Products Center (IAPC) works with the private sector to identify and promote new industrial uses for the agricultural commodities of Nebraska. Four primary areas of research the center focuses on are: biopolymers, biochemicals, biofuels, and biopower. The center is comprised of multidisciplinary teams Independent and collaborative research strives to solve technical and business problems associated with new process, product, and market development. Director: Milford Hanna

The Biofuels Energy Systems Simulator (BESS) is a software tool to calculate the energy efficiency, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and natural resource requirements of corn–to-ethanol biofuel production systems. The model provides a “cradle-to-grave” analysis of the production life-cycle of biofuels from the creation of material inputs to finished products. The model parameters can be set by the user to achieve the highest accuracy in evaluating a single corn-ethanol biorefinery and its surrounding feedstock crop production zone. The model equations and summary reports are unalterable, providing the characteristics needed to serve as certification software to evaluate the environmental impact of biofuels for industry advancement. Principal Investigator: Kenneth Cassman

Click here for a listing of University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers, economists and educators.

University of Wisconsin

The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center is one of three Department of Energy established bioenergy research center with a public-private partnership that aims to showcase and build on the UW System’s considerable efforts in bioenergy research, outreach and training, and to foster state and local efforts to attract and support companies working in the bioenergy sector. Director: Tim Donohue

The Biotechnology Center's mission is to maximize the benefits of biotechnology to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin System, state and nation by being an excellent quality, comprehensive, multidisciplinary biotechnology center that supports, coordinates, disseminates and advances biotechnology. Director: Michael Sussman

The Energy Institute unique in its diversity and depth, involving a number of nationally and internationally recognized centers of excellence. These research centers focus on understanding energy resources, energy conversion and storage technologies, energy sustainability and enabling technologies and materials. Committe Chair: Mike Corradini

The Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies is to promote understanding of the environment and to define and solve environmental problems and issues through leadership in interdisciplinary instruction, research, and outreach at all levels, from campus to global. Interim Director: Lewis Gilbert

The Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE) is housed within the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and examines the linkages between natural resources, human health and security, and changes in the global environment. Agricultural systems, air quality, energy, environmental health, global ecosystems, land use and water resources. Director: Jon Foley

Click here for a listing of University of Wisconsin researchers, economists and educators.