In partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), Army Research Lab, American Science and Technology (AST) and the North Central Regional Sun Grant Center, researchers are working to develop technologies to produce renewable jet fuel (JP-8) from lignocellulosic feedstocks.
Lignocellulosic biomass has an advantage over other biofuels feedstock, such as corn starch, soybeans and sugar cane, because it can be produced quickly and at significantly lower cost than food crops. However, new or improved technologies need to be developed to efficiently convert lignocellulosic materials into "green" liquid Jet fuels.
This interdisciplinary team of scientists, through a multi-phase process, endeavor to:
- develop an economically feasible pyrolysis process for converting lignin-rich materials into bio-oil;
- develop processing systems to upgrade bio-oil to jet fuel, diesel and other bioproducts; and
- develop innovative, efficient and cost-effective production process technologies that can provide energy-efficient fuel for U.S. Armed Forces.