WARF, GLBRC join forces on homegrown clean technologies

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) have joined forces to promote “clean” technologies invented at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

As part of the effort, WARF has developed a new “Cleantech” technology section for its Web site at www.warf.org that currently features more than 40 summaries of UW–Madison technologies, including several developed through the GLBRC.

“By making these technologies more visible, we will be better able to support the efforts of the GLBRC and UW–Madison to develop innovative and sustainable sources of energy” said Michael Falk, WARF’s general counsel.

Recognizing that one of greatest challenges of our time is the need for new, renewable sources of energy, the Department of Energy (DOE) established three Bioenergy Research Centers designed to work collaboratively in their development of a new generation of biofuels.

The GLBRC, led by UW–Madison in close partnership with Michigan State University, is working to meet that goal by removing the technological bottlenecks that prevent the efficient conversion of plant biomass into biofuels.

The center brings together top scientists from multiple disciplines to develop breakthroughs in basic science that will make the production of biofuels cost-effective and commercially viable. The other members of the GLBRC include the following universities: Iowa State, Illinois State, and Toledo; as well as two national labs, Oak Ridge and Pacific Northwest; and Lucigen Corporation.

UW-Madison, strengthened by the efforts of WARF, the private, nonprofit patent and licensing organization for the university, has a rich history of developing and commercializing innovative technologies that benefit the world, including sustainable technologies.

From engines that emit fewer pollutants to “smart” grids that enable more efficient use of power to solar heating and cooling systems, for decades UW–Madison scientists have been inventing solutions to the energy challenge, one so promising that it has spun off into a start-up company, Virent Energy Systems, Inc.

Virent, recognized as one of the world’s top technology start-up companies by several independent organizations, has attracted investors from major corporations such as Honda and Cargill, and has developed a strategic partnership with Royal Dutch Shell.