Overview

Bioenergy is an emerging and rapidly growing sector that can benefit from genome sciences research, both to identify new energy sources and to develop improved processes for converting biomass (wood fibre or recycled materials for example) into fuel. New technologies, increasing demands for low CO₂ emissions and the rising cost and decreasing supply of fossil fuels is driving the need for more research. 

Producing cost effective technologies will bring economic returns to BC as the global market for alternative energy increases. Genome BC has invested in research projects that are working on solutions for environmentally sustainable development of new energy projects such as converting fast growing poplar trees into a biofuel crop and value-added biorefining such as converting wood killed by the Mountain Pine Beetle into a supply of fibre biomass to create ethanol.

Genome BC’s current research projects in bioenergy:

• Genomics of Sunflower
• POPCAN: Genetic improvement of poplar trees as a Canadian bioenergy feedstock