MSU Center for Biobased Renewable Energy
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The MSU Center for Biobased Renewable Energy is a multidisciplinary center established in 2006 to promote renewable, biobased energy through teaching, research and outreach. BAE will collaborate with the MSU Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and the MSU Department of Forestry in this venture. The Center is funded by the Michigan State University Quality Fund. Currently the Center is in a start-up phase, hiring faculty to augment existing faculty who are active in this area. The program is expected to be fully functional in 2009.
Courses are planned to form the core of an undergraduate option in renewable energy as well as an integrated curriculum option for several engineering, and agriculture and natural resources majors at undergraduate and graduate level.
A bioenergy research laboratory will conduct biomass production research in the following areas:
- genetically modified energy crops
- thermal, chemical and biological processes to convert agricultural and forestry biomass and waste materials
- reforming processes to convert biofuels and biogas into fuel grade hydrogen
The Center also plans to publish materials to promote energy conservation and bioenergy utilization.
