We are participating in the UC Discovery-West Biofuels project to design and build a plant for thermochemical conversion of biomass to alcohols and fuel.

Simplified flow diagram of NREL's thermochemical biomass-to-alcohol design of April 2007.

Below is a photo of the project's dual fluidized bed gasifier under test with forest-waste feed in January, 2008. Note the flame at the top of the gasifier bed resulting from combustion of the product gas. In actual use, this gas will be used to synthesize mixed alcohols and also run an engine-electrical generator set.