UofI researchers lead $5 million switchgrass study

In Illinois, a University of Illinois crop scientist will lead a team of researchers on a five-year study of new crops that could contribute to the production of affordable, sustainable sources for market-ready fuels and other valuable products.

They were awarded $5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a study titled “Next-Generation Feedstocks for the Emerging Bioeconomy.” Other team members in the study funded by the DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) are from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, Iowa State University, South Dakota State University, Argonne National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, and Antares Group Inc. They will collaborate with industry partners POET-DSM Advance Fuels LLC, Enginuity Worldwide LLC, and the Climate Corp.