Several universities will be major partners in three new research centers on bioenergy, the U.S. Department of Energy announced on Tuesday. The centers, which involve researchers from a total of 18 universities, along with seven national laboratories and several corporate partners, will each receive $125-million over five years to study new techniques for producing ethanol and other biofuels.
The University of Wisconsin at Madison will lead one of the centers, with the State of Wisconsin providing an additional $54-million for a new building and new faculty positions. Michigan State University, which will receive about $50-million of the federal grant, will be a major collaborator in the Wisconsin center. Other academic partners will be Illinois State University, Iowa State University, and the University of Florida.