This image of a bacterial cell shows lipid droplets on the exterior of the cell wall. The lipids have escaped through a cell envelope that has been modified by UW–Madison and GLBRC researchers to increase lipid production. Photo courtesy of the Donohue Lab

Great Lakes Bioenergy

Great Lakes Bioenergy is a U.S. Department of Energy-funded research center dedicated to developing sustainable biofuels and bioproducts.

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Who We Are

The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) is a U.S. Department of Energy-funded Bioenergy Research Center led by the University of Wisconsin–Madison. With Michigan State University and other partners, we are developing sustainable biofuels and bioproducts made from dedicated energy crops grown on marginal lands. Our mission is simple: creating biofuels and bioproducts that are economically viable and environmentally sustainable.

Research Themes

Sustainable cropping systems

Engineering bioenergy crops to enhance their environmental and economic value

Generating multiple products from plant biomass

Understanding and optimizing the field-to-product pipeline

FLOPSY and TOCSY reveal hidden molecules in plant fibers

Illustrative cover art showing a glowing lignin-derived molecular structure (with HO, OH, MeO, OMe labels) emerging from a nebula-like cosmic cloud, above the word 'FLOPSY,' flanked by stylized ball-and-stick molecules

A team of international researchers led by the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center used alternate NMR methods to produce clearer pictures of molecular structures in lignin, a complex matrix of potentially-valuable molecules found in plant cell walls.

Biorefinery side hustles make fuels more competitive

Layered paper-cutout illustration of a carbon-capture concept: a lightbulb at center connects a factory releasing CO2 underground to CH4 clouds above, with carbon atoms and green arrows showing gas flow.

Lignocellulosic biorefineries make liquid fuels out of non-food plant material, such as crop waste or trees and grasses grown just for energy. In addition to biofuel, these refineries generate energy-rich byproducts that can be a source of additional income. These side hustles not only pad the bottom line, they make biofuels more competitive by allowing refiners to sell the fuel for less money.