The NREL Biomass Compositional Analysis Team can perform high-throughput conversion screening of biomass samples using multiple pretreatment chemistries followed by enzymatic hydrolysis using industry-standard cellulase and hemicellulase cocktails. Combined with NREL’s Laboratory Analytical Procedures (LAPs) and substantial biomass analytical expertise, the screening studies generate robust measures of cellulosic sugar conversion yield, a robust proxy of convertibility in biorefineries.

We have also demonstrated the ability to develop a prediction model for convertibility by combining near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and high-throughput conversion data of the biomass samples with multivariate modeling. We can work with researchers to rapidly develop a new rapid prediction model leveraging our existing model by adding additional sample spectra and conversion data into the calibration data set.