Bioenergy and Bioeconomy R&D Powers Innovation

NREL's bioenergy and bioeconomy researchers strive to enhance domestic supply chains of fuels, chemicals, and materials and increase U.S. manufacturing competitiveness.

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Explore how to partner with us.

Our R&D is organized into core capabilities to maximize research efficiency and accelerate delivery of technologies to market.

Innovative pathways to fuels and chemicals and materials are enabled by research expertise in:

  • Analysis and modeling
  • Fundamental science of energy conversion
  • Scale-up science and engineering.
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Fuels and Chemicals, Materials, and Carbon Conversion Research

NREL research develops industrially relevant, cost-competitive, and performance-advantaged fuels, chemicals, and materials from biomass and waste resources. We innovate strategies and technologies for carbon conversion to support the bio-based economy of the future.

Discover how these NREL R&D capabilities enable new pathways and processes for bio-based products and technologies:

Fuels and chemicals

Materials

Carbon conversion.

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Analysis, Characterization, Modeling, and Simulation Research

We support innovations and technologies with near- to long-term market opportunities by developing and leveraging:

  • Techno-economic, sustainability, and market analyses
  • Analytical characterization tools and techniques
  • Computational modeling/simulation and machine learning/artificial intelligence approaches.

Explore how NREL's analysis and modeling R&D capabilities inform experimental research directions and technology pathways.

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Science of Biological Energy Conversion Research

NREL creates scientific understanding that enables control over chemical, biochemical, and biophysical pathways and processes in living organisms, cell-free, biohybrid, and catalytic systems.

Knowledge of matter and energy flows—from molecular to multicellular and organismal scales—is fundamental to technological innovation and disruption in the bioeconomy.

Leverage NREL's fundamental science R&D capabilities to elucidate electronic and atomic pathways in biotechnology-relevant pathways.

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Scale-Up and Piloting Research

We deliver technologies and solutions to market by implementing pilot projects and developing technical value and supply chain networks for commercialization and deployment.

Explore how NREL's scale-up and piloting R&D capabilities test-drive and de-risk marketable bioenergy technologies.

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Contact us to learn more about NREL's unique bioeconomy capabilities and expertise.

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Last Updated April 22, 2025