About Us
Welcome to the Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Demonstration Unit. Part of the Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, we were established by the United States Department of Energy to help ramp up the bioeconomy.
Bio-Innovation
We enable early stage advanced biofuels, biomaterials, and biochemicals product and process technologies to successfully scale from the lab to commercial relevance.
Partnership
With experienced know-how, rigorous process optimization, and relentless monitoring of yield versus cost, we partner with you to lower your capex, opex, and risk.
De-Risk Your Technology With Us. They Did.
ABPDU is proud to be a partner of Cyclotron Road, a program of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory supported by the U.S. Department of Energy EERE Advanced Manufacturing Office. Cyclotron Road is a home for top entrepreneurial researchers to advance energy technologies until they can succeed beyond the research lab. Cyclotron Road supports critical technology development and helps identify the most suitable business models, partners, and financing mechanisms for long-term impact. Through Cyclotron Road, companies like Visolis have collaborated with ABPDU to de-risk their technologies.
Collaborations
Spotlight
BETO Funding Recipients to Collaborate with ABPDU
ZymoChem, HelioBioSys, and Mango Materials receive BETO funding to partner with ABPDU for technology validation and scale-up.
read moreScale-Up and Process Integration of Municipal Solid Waste Conversion Process
Two case studies exploring conversion technologies for municipal solid waste. One is a partnership INL, and the other is a collaboration with FATER.
read moreWhat We Offer
Bio-derived Product Diversity
Whatever your novel or drop-in advanced bioproduct molecule is, we are ready. We have the infrastructure and the expertise to optimize, scale-up, and demonstrate your bioproduct processes. Learn More.
Feedstock And Biomass Flexibility
Next-generation biomass-based inputs present limitless choices and new challenges. We’ll help you navigate the complexity and cost-effectively obtain the best outputs. Learn More.
Bio-concept Development & Validation
We’re completely impartial. When we provide third party validation of the commercial feasibility on your bio-concept, your stakeholders know you’re on the right track. Learn More.
Bio-process Prototyping & Optimization
Mitigating your risk during scale up and accelerating technology readiness levels is top of mind for us. With our flexible, customizable equipment and experienced team we’re able to quickly prototype and adjust your bio-processes. Learn More.
Scale-up Integration & Demonstration
There are many steps to successfully move advanced bioproducts from the bench or lab to commercial scale deployment. We leverage capital project and industry best practices to design robust integrated pilot processes. Learn More.
Funding & Grant Proposals Support
The right data, access to networks, and an experienced team are a winning combination to help you raise funding and take your bio-innovation to market. Learn More.
Meet Our Team
Dr. Todd Pray, Ph.D., MBA
Program Head
Dr. Deepti Tanjore, Ph.D.
Research Scientist - Fermentation and Recovery
Dr. Ning Sun, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Fre Tachea
Senior Process Engineer
Akash Narani
Bio-Process/Facilities Engineer
Stephen Hubbard
Process Engineer
Qian He
Senior Research Associate
Ling Liang
Process Engineer
Chyi-Shin Chen
Process Engineer
Philip Coffman
Senior Research Associate
Tina Luong
Process Engineer
Katherine Schall
Administrator
Newsroom
Press Releases
BETO Funding Recipients to Collaborate with ABPDU
ZymoChem, HelioBioSys, and Mango Materials receive BETO funding to partner with ABPDU for technology validation and scale-up.
BETO Announces Laboratory Call for Proposals
BETO is providing up to $40,000 per selected DOE National Laboratory proposal that focuses on one or more critical bioenergy small business challenge(s) by leveraging unique laboratory assets. Proposal submission deadline is July 31, 2016.
Lygos Accelerates Commercialization of Bio-Malonic Acid
Bio-Malonic acid fermentation process to be validated at ABPDU and scaled at NREL
Events
Bioenergy 2016
July 12-14, 2016
SIMB 2016 Annual Meeting and Exhibition
July 24-26, 2016
APEC Workshop on Promoting the Development of Biomass Energy
July 26-27, 2016
Publications
Scale-Up and Process Integration of Municipal Solid Waste Conversion Process
This paper presents two case studies on the scale-up and process integration of municipal solid waste conversion technology. In a partnership with Idaho National Labs, we successfully demonstrated 200-fold scale up of MSW blends IL acidolysis. We also developed an integrated process for ionic liquid based deconstruction technologies for MSW blends conversion. The scale up attempt will leverage the opportunity towards a cost-effective MSW blends conversion technology.
Under a DOE Work-For-Others agreement with FATER, ABPDU has been developing and validating an integrated waste-to-energy process. Key outcomes indicate that post-consumer absorbent hygiene products (AHPs) can be readily and economically converted — without using harsh or expensive pretreatment routes — to sugars and fuel intermediates.
ABPDU
Evaluation of Storage Effect on the Biomass Conversion to Sugars
Dry matter loss (DML) occurs in high-moisture storage conditions; it remains unclear how storage conditions and degradation impact sugar release and fermentation inhibitor production during conversion. In collaboration with Idaho National Labs, two feedstocks, switchgrass and corn stover, were compared using compositional analysis, alkaline pretreatment, and enzymatic saccharification. Under the tested conditions, switchgrass with 10% and 20% DML and corn stover with 30% DML achieved higher sugar yields compared to samples before storage.
ABPDU
Predictive Modeling and Rheological Estimation of Mixed Biomass Feedstocks
In a collaborative effort with INL, SNL, and JBEI, predictive modeling was used to evaluate and optimize traditional pretreatment methods for biomass mixture compositions to maximize sugar yield and minimize furfural production. The collaboration encompassed compositional analysis of feedstocks, solids loading during pretreatment for mixed feedstock, enzymatic hydrolysis on unwashed solids, and sugar and furfural analysis. Predictive modeling could effectively identify the pretreatment catalyst and treatment conditions for an “optimal” biomass mixture and the optimal biomass mixture for a particular pretreatment system.
ABPDU
ABPDU