Biomass is the oldest and most versatile renewable fuel. It has
added benefits, particularly for Hawaii, because farm-grown
energy crops can create new agri-businesses, reduce dependence
on imported fossil fuels, serve as alternatives to more
expensive renewable energy resources, and be cleaner because of
new burning and cleaning techniques. HNEI's previous work
included assessing the potential of various crops, evaluating
various biomass-to-energy technologies, identifying high-value
co-products, and developing technologies to produce solid,
liquid and gaseous fuels and chemicals from biomass. A wide
variety of research is underway in the Biomass and Fuels
Processing Laboratory , including activities in biomass resource
assessment , thermochemical conversion of biomass , evaluation
of energy conversion and utilization processes , and reforming
of transition fuels for the hydrogen economy . In addition, HNEI
researchers led the preparation of the Hawaii Bioenergy Master
Plan . Other biomass research efforts a