Joint BioEnergy Institute adds to Bay Area's strength in alternative fuels science

San Francisco Chronicle
Samuel W. Bodman
Tuesday, December 2, 2008


The U.S. Department of Energy's world-class science research facilities, including our national laboratories such as Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore and Sandia here in the Bay Area, play an essential role in advancing scientific achievement in the fields of energy and national security.

Today, we will officially add to the region's scientific strength by dedicating the Energy Department's Joint BioEnergy Institute at Emeryville. It is a state-of-the art research facility where the pursuit of transformational discoveries in basic science is already advancing the development of the next-generation of renewable biofuels made from inedible plant fiber or cellulose. To meet our national renewable fuel requirements, passed by Congress and signed by President Bush, we need to go from essentially zero to 21 billion gallons of advanced renewable fuels in less than 15 years. And we need to do it in a sustainable way.

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