Welcome to the website of the Michigan State University branch of the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC). This site deals only with MSU activities and contributions to the GLBRC. For the main GLBRC website please go to: www.glbrc.org.

The GLBRC is one of three national centers funded by the U.S. Department of Energy  to conduct transformational biofuels research. The other centers are the Joint BioEnergy Institute and the BioEnergy Science Center.

The GLBRC is led by the the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in close partnership with Michigan State University. Located in the world’s most productive agricultural region, the GLBRC is exploring scientifically diverse approaches to converting various plant feedstocks – agricultural residues, wood chips, and nonfood grasses – into liquid transportation fuels. In addition to its broad range of research projects, the GLBRC is also collaborating with agricultural researchers and producers to develop the most economically viable and environmentally sustainable practices for bioenergy production.

The mission of the GLBRC is ambitious, but simple; we will improve the overall efficiency of the biomass to bioenergy pipeline.  To achieve the GLBRC mission in a university research environment, we will: 

• Challenge the academic research enterprise to define and reduce the obstacles to producing affordable and sustainable bioenergy
• Encourage broad segments of the academic community to develop and participate in relevant research programs 
• Foster creation of goal-oriented research projects and collaborations as necessary to achieve the GLBRC mission
• Facilitate collaborations between academic researchers and federal labs
• Balance milestone-driven project management and evaluation with the creative milieu of the academic research culture