Alternative energy

Research expertise in agriculture, plant science, and engineering positions MSU's researchers to effectively develop renewable resources to meet the world’s energy needs. Faculty and students are involved in interdisciplinary research to solve complex problems in converting natural materials to energy, and for automotive and other uses.

MSU research looks to improve logistics of biofuels

MSU News, Feb 20 2012

If the increased use of biomass to produce alternative fuels is to become a reality, more attention needs to be paid to logistics – how, for example, biomass raw materials are shipped from farm to refinery, as well as the development of better ways of preparing the products for shipping.

West Mich. i6 Green consortium offers scale-up, business support services

Feb 20 2012

Entrepreneurs and small businesses can now apply for a range of subsidized business support and chemical production scale-up services from the MSU Bioeconomy Institute in Holland, Mich. The support and services are funded through an Economic Development Administration i6 Green “Proof of Concept Center” grant.

GLBRC: Integrated research on biofuels creates broader impact

Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center - 2011 Science Report, Feb 20 2012

The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) was established by the Department of Energy in 2007 in order to focus the most advanced biotechnology-based resources on the biological challenges of biofuel production. The center is led by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with Michigan State University as the major partner. Additional scientific partners are DOE National Laboratories, other universities and a biotechnology company.

Engineering the biofuels of the future

MSU AgBioResearch 2011 Annual Report, Feb 13 2012

The United States burns approximately 377 million gallons of gasoline and 121 million gallons of diesel fuel every day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Those eye-popping numbers are driving the quest for more biorenewable fuels. Michigan State University AgBioResearch scientist Carl Lira is helping with that effort by designing and testing bioderived chemicals and additives.

Ethanol mandate not best option according to consumers

MSU News, Feb 13 2012

Many people are willing to pay a premium for ethanol, but not enough to justify the government mandate for the renewable fuel, a Michigan State University economist argues.

Soren Anderson studied the demand for ethanol, or E85, in the United States. He found that when ethanol prices rose 10 cents per gallon, demand for ethanol fell only 12 percent to 16 percent on average.

Bioeconomy experts speak at MSU Holland facility

Jan 23 2012

MSU's Bioeconomy Institute in Holland, Mich., features top researchers in biofuels, bio-based chemicals, and biomaterials in a series of highly interactive presentations called the Experts Exchange: Opportunities in Bio-Innovation speaker series. The business community, students, and faculty are invited to attend free of charge. For a current list of speakers, visit http://bioeconinst.msu.edu/speaker-series.

MSU researcher one of top 100 people in bioenergy

Biofuels Digest, Jan 3 2012

Michigan State University researcher Bruce Dale was named one of the top 100 people in bioenergy by Biofuels Digest, a daily online publication.

Could switchgrass replace fossil fuels?

The Engaged Scholar Magazine, Nov 30 2011

Could switchgrass, a perennial warmseason grass that is native to North America and can be made into renewable biofuel, be used to help power steam plants? And replace non-renewable fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal in the process? That's what Doo-Hong Min, MSU AgBioResearch forages/bioenergy crop scientist and Extension specialist, has been helping his research partners try to discover.

MSU chemists research, develop, and deploy green technology

The Engaged Scholar Magazine, Nov 29 2011

John and Karen Frost wear many hats. They are chemists as well as entrepreneurs, employers, and innovative leaders in a field that has captured the mood of investors in the United States, and perhaps the world, who are looking for alternatives to petroleum-based products.

MSU Bioeconomy Institute

Nov 17 2011

The MSU Bioeconomy Institute is a 138,000-square-foot professional research and development facility, which includes fully equipped modern laboratories as well as “pilot production” space. It was donated to Michigan State University in 2009 by the former owner, Pfizer, Inc.