Joint BioEnergy Institute

The Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) is a research institute funded by the United States Department of Energy. It is led by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and includes participation from the Sandia National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, as well as UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Iowa State University, and the Carnegie Institute. It is located in Emeryville, California.

The goal of the Institute is to develop biofuels, bio-synthesized from lignin derived from corn stover, sorghum and other plant feedstocks (see Second generation biofuels) as an alternative to fossil fuels. Additionally, there are efforts to produce bio-based chemicals derived from the deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass to create bio-based polymers and other commodities such as perfumes, dietary supplements as well as other high-end products. The goal is to use these bio-based chemicals to help finance the change in infrastructure from petroleum fuels to biofuels.