Accelerating the Commercial Impact of ChemCatBio Research

Accelerating the Commercial Impact of ChemCatBio Research

Researchers working in the Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium (ChemCatBio) are scientifically inspired to have a positive impact on the world. One of the ways we realize impact is through collaborative research and development partnerships with the private sector. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office has a strong track record of promoting public-private partnerships forming a synergistic continuum of research, development, and deployment where federal funds are used to support highly innovative ideas with commercial promise. Public funds are used to generate promising ideas, and the private sector then invests significant additional capital in the demonstration, scale-up, and deployment of those innovations.

This symbiosis between industry and research organizations, including the 8 DOE national labs in ChemCatBio, is enabled by the Bayh-Dole Act, which allows universities, small businesses, and operators of national labs to own intellectual property they generate using federal research grants. These research organizations then work with the private sector to find appropriate opportunities for companies to use these innovations in their lines of business. Industry gets access to a strong pipeline of revolutionary innovations, and labs get access to the private capital needed to scale these inventions to achieve their goals of decarbonization, promoting energy efficiency, or developing revolutionary new forms of renewable energy. Since its passage in 1980, the Bayh-Dole Act has become a powerhouse of economic development, adding $1 trillion to U.S. GDP, creating over 500,000 inventions that underpin the creation of over 17,000 startup companies while supporting the creation of 6.5 million jobs. Importantly, the Bayh-Dole Act provides a mandate to the owners of federally funded IP to require diligent commercialization of publicly supported inventions. In ChemCatBio, we can see that translated into 4 technology licenses and 28 patents and patent applications.

Technology transfer offices across U.S. national laboratories and universities work tirelessly to protect new inventions with patent applications and copyrights, and then collaborate with inventors to find appropriate homes in the private sector where these inventions can thrive. This holds true for ChemCatBio as well. We are excited to work with you to help your valuable ideas in catalysis make a difference in the world!

Best regards,

Eric Payne, Senior Licensing Executive

Upcoming Events

ChemCatBio Webinar: Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Catalysis

Join ChemCatBio for a June 12, 2024, webinar on the potential of AI to play a crucial role in accelerated catalyst design. Argonne National Laboratory’s Rajeev Assary will describe how AI and high-fidelity, first-principles simulations can help identify cost-efficient catalysts for deoxygenation chemistry. Register now and learn more about this webinar.

“I Am ChemCatBio”: Meet the Minds Behind Our Work

The “I Am ChemCatBio” video series highlights a handful of more than 120 researchers working together to accelerate our mission. Hear directly from ChemCatBio researchers on what the consortium means to them, how they are making a difference, and how scientists, industry partners, and student researchers can benefit by working with the consortium.

News

Spread the Word: ChemCatBio Is Seeking Community Feedback on Local Manufacturing

If a new industrial complex that processes biomass was planned to be built within a few miles of your home, what would your thoughts be? ChemCatBio wants to hear questions, comments, or concerns from communities to help find ways to increase the benefits and decrease the burden of new industry. Feel free to distribute.

New ChemCatBio Technology Brief: Conversion of Organic Waste to Sustainable Aviation Fuel via Carboxylic Acids

A 2024 technology brief uses interactive charts and graphics to unpack ongoing research on the conversion of organic waste to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using microbial conversion followed by catalytic upgrading.

Need a High-Level Overview? Check Out ChemCatBio’s New Fact Sheet

ChemCatBio is accelerating technology development for renewable fuels and chemicals through catalysis. Get a broad overview on how the consortium is accomplishing that with ChemCatBio’s new overview fact sheet.

ChemCatBio Participates in Spring ACS Meeting

ChemCatBio held its annual symposium in the Catalysis Science and Technology division at the Spring meeting of the American Chemical Society, titled “Catalyst development and process integration for biomass and waste derived fuels and chemicals.” This year’s meeting was in New Orleans, Louisiana, and featured 20 presentations from a group of consortium members, collaborators, and leaders in the fields of catalysis and bioenergy. Look for ChemCatBio next spring in San Diego!

Recent Research Highlights

Recommendations for Improving Rigor and Reproducibility in Site Specific Characterization, Journal of Catalysis, 2024

Recommendations To Standardize Reporting, Execution, and Interpretation of X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy Measurements, Journal of Catalysis, 2024

Dynamic Copper Site Redispersion Through Atom Trapping in Zeolite Defects, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2024

The Accelerator is a newsletter of ChemCatBio, a consortium of eight DOE national labs dedicated to accelerating the catalyst and process development cycle for bioenergy applications. ChemCatBio is part of the Energy Materials Network, funded by the Bioenergy Technologies Office in DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.