US gives $125M for biofuel work at Wisconsin, MSU

US Energy Dept. gives $125M biofuel research grant to University of Wisconsin, Michigan State

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan State University says the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $125 million to the East Lansing school and to the University of Wisconsin to continue their work on advanced biofuels.

Michigan State says the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center will use the five-year grant to "continue its work providing the basic scientific foundation for the sustainable, large-scale production of advanced cellulosic biofuels technologies to help meet the nation's growing energy needs."

The center is based at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Michigan State says the research center opened in 2007 and is responsible for dozens of inventions and patent applications and is working with outside companies on 17 possible licensing agreements.