The Biomass Research and Development Board's Analysis Interagency Working Group (IWG) coordinates federal analytical activities in the areas of biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. The Analysis IWG informs the public about analysis activities, leverages resources across the member federal agencies, and provides value through accurate and transparent data, information, and analyses.
What Is Analysis?
Bioeconomy analysis includes data collection, evaluation, and modeling to understand biomass supply, quantify potential benefits and impacts, and assess research progress. Coordinated analysis ensures standardized methods, tools, and approaches are used.
Why Is Analysis Important for the Bioeconomy?
Analysis helps us understand the potential benefits and impacts of a growing bioeconomy, identifies research needs, and informs technology development priorities.
What Are the U.S. Government’s Goals for Analysis?
The goals of the federal government for the Analysis IWG include:
- Evaluate available economic, technical, and engineering data so agencies, stakeholders, and the public can understand the impacts of an expanding bioeconomy and adequately consider the benefits and tradeoffs
- Validate cost estimates and market prices at representative engineering scales under various scenarios and assumptions to examine process robustness and fully understand research issues with scale-up
- Conduct analyses to understand biomass supply, infrastructure, workforce, and other resources needed to expand the bioeconomy
- Evaluate available tools and models and develop new ones as needed to improve decision making and inform research and development priorities.
What Progress Has Occurred?
The Analysis IWG has made the following progress:
- Prepared a synthesis report on findings from three workshops on biofuels for the aviation sector
- Documented analysis of strategies to reduce the cost of biofuels toward $2/gallon gasoline equivalent
- Released a report describing the top ten biofuel-derived blendstock candidates that offer environmental benefits and boost energy efficiency.