Project description
The Integrated Biorefinery Research Facility is a pilot-scale biochemical plant designed to convert plant materials into renewable fuels and chemicals. The twenty-seven-thousand-square-foot building includes two tall, high-bay spaces where researchers can test equipment and processes that mimic commercial-scale systems. It gives scientists a way to evaluate how new ideas perform under real operating conditions before they are deployed in the broader energy market.
Cator, Ruma, and Associates provided electrical engineering services for the design-build project, supporting the needs of a highly flexible research environment. The facility is used by NREL scientists and industry partners who collaborate to develop, test, and refine conversion processes for a wide range of biomass feedstocks.
Because the plant operates at pilot scale, it can gather real performance data that helps determine the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of new biofuel technologies when scaled up. Results from the facility support techno-economic studies, life cycle analysis, and market evaluations. Fuels produced in the facility can also be tested in NREL’s fuel laboratories for performance and quality.
The entire building is designed to adapt to different feedstocks, equipment layouts, and experimental needs, making it a key stepping stone from lab experiments to commercial-scale development.
Guiding Principles for the Design
- Flexibility for Discovery
- Collaboration at Every Stage
- Real-World Testing Conditions
- Acceleration to Market