Midland-based Dow Chemical Co. announced Wednesday an agreement with the United States Department of Energy's Naitonal Renewable Energy Laboratory to jointly develop and evaluate a process that will convert biomass to ethanol and other chemical building blocks.

A mixed alcohol catalyst from Dow is seen as the key to unlocking the potential for this promising renewable energy resource. The process will use non-food ingredients such as the leaves from a corn plant or wood wastes, and convert the bio-based material through a gasification process to synthesis gas.

Dow's technology helps convert the synthesis gas into a mixture of alcohols including ethanol that can be used as transportation fuel or chemical building blocks.

"NREL is interested in reducing the cost of biofuels in support of the nation's energy goals," NREL Director Dan Arvizu said. "Dow's catalyst technology and expertise in catalyst development and testing will be extremely helpful as we evaluate the viability of this approach on a larger scale."

The joint evaluation program will focus on improving the mixed alcohol catalyst, as well as demonstrating pilot scale performance and the commercial relevance of an integrated facility.

"This agreement exemplifies how Dow uses its technology to generate sustainable solutions that address energy challenges in the U.S., while building our portfolio of alternative energy and feedstock options," said Juan Luciano, Dow's business president of Hydrocarbons and Energy. "By using ethanol derived from biomass as an alternative raw material or feedstock, Dow is exploring new ways to reduce the cost and volatility of its inputs to produce chemicals and plastics that are essential to a wide range of consumer products."

More at www.dow.com or www.nrel.gov.