Oregon Public Broadcasting

There’s been backlash recently on using food crops like corn and soybeans for fuel. Researchers at Washington State University in the Tri-Cities dedicated a new lab Thursday that will research how to turn things like hay, wood and even paper products into biofuels. Richland correspondent Anna King has the story.

It’s called the Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory. The $25 million facility sits near the Columbia River at WSU’s Tri-City campus. The university picked up most of the tab for the building.

The federal Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is providing $9 million worth of lab equipment and has signed a long-term lease.

WSU’s Chancellor Vicky Carwein, says the lab will train the next generation of scientists.
 
Vicky Carwein: "We have teaching laboratories here in this building so students will actually be taking classes here as well as this incredible opportunity for them to work with the scientists and faculty that will be doing the research here."

But it’s not just about research. It’s about taking biofuels out of the lab and testing them on an industrial scale.