The DOE BioEnergy Science Center-a US Department of Energy Bioenergy Research Center

The BioEnergy Science Center, a nationally and internationally peer-reviewed center of leading scientific institutions and scientists, is organized and in operation as a U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Research Center. This Oak Ridge National Laboratory-led Center has members from top-tier universities, leading national labs, and private companies organized as a single project team, with each member chosen for its significant contributions in the Center's research focus areas. The recalcitrance of cellulosic biomass is viewed as (1) the most significant obstacle to the establishment of a cellulosic biofuels industry, (2) essential to producing cost-competitive fuels, and (3) widely applicable, since nearly all biofuels and biofeedstocks would benefit from such advances. The mission of the BioEnergy Science Center is to make revolutionary advances in understanding and overcoming the recalcitrance of biomass to conversion into sugars, making it feasible to displace petroleum with ethanol and other fuels.