Organizations

Montana State University

Montana State University Extension Forestry will assist with the NARA Extension Working Group by providing information about the NARA program and research updates to Montana stakeholders including industry, logging and landowner professional organizations and conferences. In addition we will produce and publish brochures, popular articles and guidelines for these groups as well as assist with the scoping process and development of a test bed site.

The mission of Extension Forestry is to provide education and outreach …more

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) focuses on creative answers to today’s energy challenges. From breakthroughs in fundamental science to new clean technologies to integrated energy systems that power our lives, NREL researchers are transforming the way the nation and the world use energy.

Oregon State University

Researchers from Oregon State University will receive $4.4 million as part of the Northwest Aviation Renewables Alliance, led by Washington State University.

“The primary goal of this initiative is to find new ways to produce aviation fuel and high value chemicals using a sustainable supply of biomass,” said John Sessions, a distinguished professor of forestry and holder of the Strachan Chair of Forest Operations Management at OSU.

“We hope to create a fuel that’s an exact substitute …more

Salish Kootenai College

NARA has partnered with the forestry program at Salish Kootenai College (SKC), a tribal university, to provide research opportunities tied to biofuels and bioproducts from woody biomass. Annual summer internship awards will be made to SKC Forestry students so they can join a NARA research university for a summer research experience (SURE). SURE participants participate in full time research experiences for a summer (10 week) program that provides laboratory, fieldwork, and research …more

South Hampton Resources

South Hampton Resources is an independent, petrochemical manufacturer in southeast Texas. Since1955, it has progressed through several stages to emerge as a strongly competitive specialty petrochemical processor. South Hampton Resources contributes to the 1000 K IPK project by producingIPK from isobutanol made from forest residuals.

Steadfast Management

Steadfast Management provides management and consulting services and contributes Phase and Gate and pretreatment/conversion leadership to NARA.

The National Center for Genome Resources

NCGR contributes to the NARA project by evaluating the genetic basis in woody biomass that leads to desirable traits suitable to aviation fuel and co-products conversion. This effort is led by Dr. Callum Bell, who is the sequencing center director and Vice President of Research at NCGR.

The National Center for Genome Resources (NCGR) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a non-profit research institute dedicated to improving human health and nutrition through the application …more

The Pennsylvania State University

Paul Smith, professor of forest products marketing in the Penn State School of Forest Resources, leadsNARA’s Environmentally Preferred Products (EPP) group within the Systems Metrics Team.

Recognizing that knowledge of market needs and consumer preferences is important to gain public acceptance and ensure success of a future biofuels industry, the EPP group will work to identify attitudes, perceptions, and current understanding of biofuel-based products by the public and policymakers. This knowledge will be used to …more

Thomas Spink Inc.

Thomas Spink Inc. is a consulting firm specializing in biomass chemical engineering and assists NARA in co-product development and economic analyses.

University of Idaho

The University of Idaho is the state’s premier land-grant research university and flagship institution. Faculty in the College of Natural Resources and College of Art and Architecture will carry out the education and outreach goals of the NARA project. The NARA GreenSTEM initiative includes an innovative suite of programs to increase the capacity of the region for a transition to a biofuel and bioproducts economy. The K-12 program includes STEM curricula and teacher training focused …more

University of Minnesota

Two areas of research occur at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering that directly contribute to NARA.

The production of aviation fuels from woody biomass will generate a substantial amount of lignins as a byproduct. To ensure an economically viable woody biomass to aviation fuel industry, commercial uses for lignin need to be extended. Research led by Professor Simo Sarkanen is developing lignin-based plastics to be used as thermal insulating foams. The domestic …more

University of Montana

The Bureau of Business and Economic Research is a research department within the School of Business Administration at The University of Montana, Missoula. Todd Morgan serves as Director of Forest Industry Research within the Bureau. His team is contributing to the NARA project by identifying and collecting primary data necessary to assess the woody biomass inventory with particular emphasis on mill and logging residue in the 4-state region and standing forest inventory in Montana and Idaho. They …more

University of Utah

The University of Utah, located in Salt Lake City in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, is the flagship institution of higher learning in Utah. Founded in 1850, it serves over 31,000 students from across the U.S. and the world. With over 72 major subjects at the undergraduate level and more than 90 major fields of study at the graduate level, including law and medicine, the university prepares students to live and compete in the global workplace. Known …more

University of Washington

To help avoid unintended impacts to society, the economy or the environment, University of Washington’sIvan Eastin will lead the life cycle assessment of the fuel being produced and research effects on communities.

Producing ethanol from food crops has led to controversies in recent years about whether energy derived from converting these crops into ethanol exceeded the fossil-fuel energy required to produce and deliver them. In addition, diverting crops for fuel has helped drive up food prices in many …more

University of Wisconsin Extension

The University of Wisconsin-Extension works in partnership with 26 UW System campuses, 72 Wisconsin counties, three tribal governments, and other public and private organizations to fulfill its public service mission. This is the “Wisconsin Idea” – extending the university’s boundaries to the corners of the state. The University of Wisconsin Extension will contribute to NARA’s goal of enhancing bioenergy literacy for students, educators and the general public.

US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station

NARA is tasked with empowering stakeholders to plan and implement the changes needed to build, develop and sustain a biorefinery infrastructure. Eini Lowell, a research forest products technologist with the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station assists in that effort. Eini will help identify and screen test bed communities. She will also initiate and help extend relationships with regional stakeholders and partners by convening meetings, workshops and focus groups.

The PNW Research Station …more

USDA Forest Products Lab

Research General Engineer Jun Yong Zhu, USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) in Madison, Wisconsin, will demonstrate his patent-pending technique, SPORL (Sulfite Pretreatment to Overcome Recalcitrance of Lignocellulose), in the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) program.

Washington State University

Washington State University is the leading institution for the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) and the five-year, $40 million grant to help develop wood-based alternatives to petroleum-based fuels and chemicals. The WSU-led consortium includes 15 partners ranging from private companies to public research institutions, along with over 50 principal investigators.

With its long-term leadership in wood-based materials, engineering, and strong land-grant extension program, WSU is uniquely qualified to develop hands-on research needed to make a …more

Western Washington University

Western Washington University is a comprehensive, masters degree granting institution located in Bellingham WA. Faculty in the Huxley College of the Environment, along with university’s Institute for Energy Studies (IES) are involved in the education and outreach goals of the NARA project. IES is developing an interdisciplinary undergraduate degree in energy studies and a minor in Energy Policy. The intention is to integrate bioenergy into these curricula.

The WWU role in NARA is …more

Weyerhaeuser

As part of its involvement, Weyerhaeuser will establish a new research site near Springfield, Ore. to better understand the effect of forest management practices on soil, water and wildlife. The site is intended to provide information on the effect of biomass removal, compaction and fertilization on soil, water and wildlife. Weyerhaeuser scientists Greg Johnson and Scott Holub will lead the study.

Weyerhaeuser also will work with collaborators to understand how to develop more cost-effective ways to collect currently …more