The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office published the summary report for its workshop on Moving Beyond Drop-In Replacements: Performance-Advantaged Biobased Chemicals, that took place on June 1, 2017, in Denver, Colorado. At this workshop, BETO gathered stakeholder input on the research and development (R&D) necessary for novel biobased compounds and functional replacements.

Novel, performance-advantaged biobased products and functional replacements offer many benefits to BETO and the bioeconomy. The ideal novel biobased product could allow for new functionality in end products and generate new markets for manufacturers of biobased materials. These products could increase the value of domestic biomass resources and provide a new revenue stream for biorefineries. Finally, biobased products can reduce the environmental impact of some manufacturing processes.

To address R&D challenges associated with identifying and developing novel, performance-advantaged biobased products, BETO hosted the workshop to develop a strategic plan that identifies solutions and a path forward. During the workshop, 89 stakeholders from industry, national laboratories, government agencies, and academic institutions identified pervasive challenges to developing these compounds and brainstormed potential solutions to those challenges.

BETO solicited stakeholder input on the following topics:

- Identification of novel bioproducts and performance-advantaged attributes

- Development of biobased technologies

- End use of performance-advantaged bioproducts

BETO supports early-stage R&D for biobased fuels, products, and chemicals that can maximize the use of America's abundant biomass resources, advance U.S. economic competitiveness, and improve Americans’ quality of life. BETO contributes to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s mission by working with industry, academia, and national laboratory partners on a balanced portfolio of research in bioenergy technologies.