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University of California, Berkeley
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- Thus the Energy Biosciences Institute was born in 2007, embarking on a
10-year, $500 million quest to help the world transition from a carbon-based
fuel strategy to one that incorporates sustainable, environmentally friendly
fuels into a balanced portfolio of responsible, renewable energy sources.
Mission: The EBI will explore the application of advanced knowledge of biological processes, materials and mechanisms to the energy sector.
Product Portfolio
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
- The EBI’s multidisciplinary research teams explore total-system solutions to global energy problems that include the sustainable production of cellulosic biofuels, enhanced biological carbon sequestration, bioprocessing of fossil fuels, biologically-enhanced petroleum recovery, and the social and economic impacts of transitioning to sustainable energy.
Feedstock Development
- Though some biofuel types are now produced with corn and
sugar cane, EBI scientists are trying to identify and “improve” other plant
species that can be used to manufacture biofuels on a global scale with more
efficiency and less waste. Researchers are examining the fuel-producing
capabilities of varieties like switchgrass, miscanthus, and other plants
that can be grown in a sustainable fashion – meaning they won't harm the
environment or require too much energy to harvest and store.
A chief goal of scientists doing work in this program is discovering plants that can produce more biomass (plant material from which biofuel is produced) per acre than plants that are traditionally used for this purpose. Doing so will help minimize the amount of land, water, and energy needed to produce the fuel. It could also lead to the biofuels industry being expanded dramatically. And that means less reliance on fossil fuels and more availability of sustainable, carbon-neutral biofuels that reduce harmful impacts on the environment and foster energy independence.
Biomass Depolymerization
- Fashioning fuel from plants requires the use of the
individual sugar molecules that make up a plant's fundamental structure. To
free those individual molecules so they can be used to produce biofuel means
severing the chemical bond that holds them together, much like a sturdy
string binds the pearls on a necklace. The crucial process of breaking the
chemical bond among the sugar molecules — cutting the necklace's string, if
you will — is known as depolymerization.
EBI researchers in this program are determined to establish more efficient depolymerization methods to replace the costly practices now being used. And that's important. Right now, this step is the single most expensive aspect of producing biofuels. Developing a less costly but still effective depolymerization method will help reduce the cost of producing biofuels, making them more reasonably priced.
Biofuels Production
- Developing more productive ways of converting plant
sugars to fuels is the problem being tackled by this program. The current
method of accomplishing this for many biofuels used today — such as ethanol,
butanol, and biodiesel — is similar to the centuries-old fermentation
practices relied on to make beer and wine. While those methods are
successful for spirits, they've proved inadequate in the production of
biofuels, especially on the large scale that's necessary if the U.S. is ever
to attain the Department of Energy's goals for biofuels. That target would
have the U.S. satisfying 30 percent of its transportation fuel needs from
biofuels by 2030.
Biofuel production researchers at the EBI are searching for ways to boost the concentration of fuel produced by the biofuel fermentation process. Doing so could significantly shrink the cost of making biofuel, causing a surge in demand for this environmentally friendly substance.
Fossil Fuel Bioprocessing
- While fossil fuels like oil and coal have traditionally
been obtained through drilling and mining, researchers at the EBI are
determined to apply a new tool to the task of reaching these precious
resources — biology.
In this program, scientists' objective is to use biology to develop highly efficient ways of reaching oil and coal that expend less energy and release fewer greenhouse gases. For instance, biological processes might be used to coax oil from below ground. Researchers are investigating the possibility of altering the semi-porous rock that holds oil, which in turn, would enhance its flow to the surface, making it easier to access hard-to-reach domestic oil reserves. Similar methods might be applied to coal mining.
Improving the process of getting at fossil fuels will help consumers use this important but finite energy resource wisely and ensure that it remains part of a diverse mix of energy choices for a long time to come.
Environmental, Social and Economic Dimensions
- The quest for answers often leads to debate, and one
would hope — insightful solutions. That's certainly true when it comes to
researching sustainable forms of energy. As political leaders in this
country and throughout the world debate the best ways to ensure our energy
future while protecting the environment, the EBI will seek to deepen our
understanding of the impacts of meeting a growing portion of our energy
needs through sustainable energy.
Researchers who participate in this program will study a range of social, economic, and environmental issues relating to the creation of a biofuel industry:- How much land globally is available for the production of biofuels?
- What might be the consequences of devoting vast amounts of land for raising crops used to produce biofuels?
- Will food production be affected?
- What impact would a dynamic biofuels market have on the environment?
These are just a few of the questions that will require thorough scientific scrutiny as we transition to a sustainable energy system. By providing answers to these questions, researchers will contribute a solid scientific basis that policymakers will be able to use as a guide when they devise policies that mitigate the possible negative impacts of biofuels.
Bioenergy Connection magazine
- One of the most difficult challenges of this century will
be finding ways to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels while at the same
time providing improved quality of life for an expanding human population
and preserving biodiversity. In the relatively young field of energy
biosciences, the past several years have witnessed vigorous debate about
issues such as the indirect land use consequences of biofuels and the
effects of biofuels on food security.
In response, we have launched Bioenergy Connection in the hope that this new magazine can become a useful summary of contemporary research, emerging policies, and trends in the general field of energy biosciences.
Our goal is to introduce the questions that drive current research, to spotlight the people who are moving the field forward, and to provide explanations to a range of issues in terms that will broaden knowledge and understanding by specialists and non-specialists alike.