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Biomass Today

• Current biomass electric generating

capacity is about 12,300 MW, enough

to meet the power needs of

Massachusetts.

• In 2001, production of fuel ethanol

reached 1.76 billion gallons and

production of biodiesel equaled 

20 million gallons.

• Current production of biobased

textile fibers, polymers, adhesives,

lubricants, soy-based inks, and other

products is estimated at 12.4 billion

pounds per year.

U.S. Department of Energy • Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Energy and Products from Renewable

Domestic Resources

Enhancing Our Nation’s Energy

Security and Environment

Advances in plant science and process

technologies promise to revolutionize the

production of energy and products from

biomass—the organic material provided

by crops, trees, agricultural and forestry

residues, and animal waste. Like fossil

fuels, the energy in biomass comes from

carbon, yet biomass is a renewable

resource that is virtually inexhaustible

and cleaner for the environment when

managed correctly.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

(EERE) recently consolidated its biomass

research programs, creating the Office of

the Biomass Program. The Office will be a

major contributor to meeting the

Administration’s goal of significantly

increasing America’s use of biofuels,

biopower, and bioproducts on a

sustainable basis. A greater role for

biomass will enhance our energy security,

provide for a cleaner environment, and

stimulate economic growth, particularly

in rural communities. 

Research Focus

The Office of the Biomass Program

partners with U.S. industry to foster

research and development of advanced

technologies that can transform our

nation’s abundant biomass resources into

clean, affordable, and domesticallyproduced biofuels, biopower, and

high-value bioproducts. The two primary

goals of the Office are to (1) reduce

dependence on foreign oil by developing

liquid fuels and (2) to create the domestic

biomass industry. Key research and

development areas include: 

• Thermochemical Conversion –

Thermochemical conversion can be

used to create syngas for heat, power,

or products. The Office is removing

barriers to the cost-effectiveness and

environmental viability of these

processes. 

• Bioconversion – Bioconversion can

transform biomass resources into useful

fuels and chemicals. The Office is

investigating biological processing that

integrates pretreatment, separations,

and purification in a manner that is

efficient and cost-effective.
A Strong Energy Portfolio 

for a Strong America

Energy efficiency and clean,

renewable energy will mean a

stronger economy, a cleaner

environment, and greater energy

independence for America. Working

with a wide array of state, community,

industry, and university partners, the

U.S. Department of Energy’s Office 

of Energy Efficiency and Renewable

Energy invests in a diverse portfolio 

of energy technologies.

• Industrial Biorefinery – The industrial

biorefinery is a promising strategy for

processing renewable biomass, such as

corn stover and other resources, into a

range of biobased products, fuels, and

power. 

• Biobased Products – Biomass can be

used in place of petrochemical

feedstocks to produce value-added

chemicals, such as biobased engine oils

and solvents, biobased plastics, and

improved enzymes.

• Small Modular Biopower – Research 

is being conducted to develop small

modular biomass systems that will be

commercially competitive in integrated

heat and power applications in the 

1 kW to 5 MW range. 

The Office relies strongly on competitive

solicitations to identify projects that

support the program focus areas.

Through these solicitations, the Office

funds projects with teams including the

private sector, national laboratories, and

universities. 

Raising Awareness

Using a network of DOE Regional 

Offices and state-level contacts as well 

as its web site and the National Biomass

Coordination Office, the Office

disseminates the results of research to

industry and educates consumers on the

benefits of biomass.

Outreach activities by the Office raise

awareness of current and potential roles

of biomass in the United States. R&D

results are communicated through

technical papers, conferences,

presentations, fact sheets, and a monthly

newsletter. The Office also works closely

with state and regional offices to perform

outreach at the local level.

Successes to date in the biomass field

have included:

• Fractionation of corn fiber and

conversion to high-value chemicals

• Operation of small modular biomass

gasifiers to produce electricity in rural

areas

• Development and commercialization

of a natural resin from bark residues for

use in manufacturing plywood and

strand board 

• Development of the first global-scale

polylactic acid (PLA) plant, producing

more than 300 million pounds of PLA

per year from a feedstock of locally

grown corn (40,000 bushels/day).

March 2003

Printed with soy ink on recycled paper

Energy and Products from Renewable Domestic Resources

For more information, visit www.eere.energy.gov/biomass.html or call 1-800-DOE-3732