Production of biofuels and bioproducts involves costly separations of process streams that can represent up to 70% of processing costs and waste valuable by-products. The Bioprocessing Separations Consortium advances efficient and cost-effective separation, with the target of using renewable carbon optimally.

Working on a three-year timetable, the Consortium’s national laboratory-based technology research teams interactively address a series of tasks under the guidance of a multi-lab Steering Committee and external Advisory Board.

A crosscutting analysis team, integrated with the technology research teams, conducts techno-economic and life-cycle analyses to inform research directions and go/no-go decisions. The analysis team incorporates proposed separations strategies and R&D results into Design Cases for different conversion routes that are under study at the national laboratories to estimate each project’s economic and sustainability impacts.