Facilities & Laboratories

Biorenewables Research Laboratory

The Biorenewables Research Laboratory is a research and teaching facility that offers bench-scale research facilities in support of the bioeconomy. Lab facilities are available for conversion of biomass through thermochemical processing or anaerobic digestion, biological and chemical catalysis, syngas fermentation, biomass and bio-oil analysis, and biochar characterization. The Biorenewables Research Lab is part of the Biorenewables Complex at Iowa State University. Construction was made possible through an appropriation from the state of Iowa.

Find us on the campus map at:
617 Bissell Road
1140 Biorenewables Research Laboratory
Ames, Iowa 50011-3270

First Floor

The hall entry offers a striking view of the bench- and high-bay pilot-scale facilities, which house research projects focused on the thermochemical and hybrid thermochemical/biological conversion of biomass.

The administrative offices of the Bioeconomy Institute and the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CRiRC) are located on this floor.

Second Floor

The second floor is dedicated to emerging research programs in chemical catalyst design and reaction engineering, supporting initiatives at the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC) and the Bioeconomy Institute.

Third Floor

The third floor spaces expand the research and development capacity of thermochemical conversion of biomass into fuels, chemicals, and energy. Bench-scale research technologies in these laboratories include fast pyrolysis, gasification, torrefaction, and characterization of bio-oil and biochar at the Bioeconomy Institute.

Fourth Floor

The fourth floor provides innovative laboratories and an interaction space for biocatalysis and microbial metabolic engineering, two research thrusts of the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC).

BioCentury Research Farm

The BioCentury Research Farm (BCRF) has unique facilities that combine biomass feedstock production, harvesting, storing, transporting and biorefinery processing into a complete system to develop the next generation of biofuels and biobased products.

1327 U Avenue
Boone, Iowa 50036
515-296-6300
www.biocenturyresearchfarm.iastate.edu