The hearing also considered advancements in bioenergy research and the potential role of this resource in a cleaner energy transition. Lastly, the hearing was intended to help inform future legislation to support and guide the United States’ bioenergy RD&D enterprise. Witnesses included:
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Dr. Jonathan Male, Chief Scientist for Energy Processes and Materials, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL);
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Dr. Andrew Leakey, Director of the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign;
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Dr. Laurel Harmon, Vice President of Government Affairs, LanzaTech; and
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Dr. Eric Hegg, Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University.
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[ Dr. Andrew ] Leakey testified about the need for next-generation bioenergy and bioproducts as part of a decarbonized economy. According to Leakey, there is “enormous potential to produce abundant supplies of renewable bioenergy and bioproducts from plant biomass,” which would:
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Develop a more just economy in which additional individuals and communities would receive economic benefit from the production of fuels and chemicals, including in rural areas;
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Reduce reliance on foreign sources of energy and improve resilience in the face of international conflicts or natural disasters;
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Support farming communities in developing a more diverse, sustainable, and resilient agricultural system; and
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Counteract the progression of climate change.
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