2006

• Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences begins planning the BioCentury Research Farm - the first integrated, sustainable biofuel feedstock research and demonstration farm in the United States.
• The U.S. Small Business Administration approves two grants totaling $3.5 million to construct a biomass conversion facility at Iowa State.

2007

March

• Iowa Board of Regents approves Iowa State's request to proceed with planning.

September

• Pioneer Hi-Bred, A DuPont business, pledges $1 million to the BioCentury Research Farm.

November

• The BioCentury Research Farm has a virtual ground breaking ceremony at the 2007 Bioeconomy Conference. Iowa Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge was on hand for the ground breaking ceremony and U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) addressed the crowd of over 700 participants via a video recording.

2008

June

• Iowa Department of Economic Development approves $2.8 million and the Iowa Legislature approves a $1 million award from the Tobacco Settlement Lawsuit to be invested in building new facilities as part of the BioCentury Research Farm at the Iowa State University Agronomy and Agricultural Engineering Farm.

September

• Construction begins on the buildings.
• USDA awards a grant to purchase a 500-liter fermenter.

2009

January

• The Biomass Processing Building and the Harvest, Storage and Transportation Building start to take shape.

March

• Lawrence Johnson, professor of food science and human nutrition, is named director of the BioCentury Research Farm.

July

• Construction of the initial buildings is completed.
• Andy Suby is hired to manage the biorenewables production and processing research facility.

September

• Iowa State University dedicates the newly constructed BioCentury Research Farm on September 22. Over 400 people attend the dedication to listen to presenters, tour the facilities, and learn about future research projects.
• USDA awards a grant to purchase a 1,000-liter fermenter.
• The first research project is completed at the BioCentury Research Farm. Carl Bern, University Professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, studied the effectiveness of drying trailers to remove moisture from biomass. Bern dried corn stover and corncobs, tracking energy use, drying rate, and uniformity of moisture reduction.
• Centocor, Inc., a Johnson and Johnson Company, donates fermentation equipment to the BioCentury Research Farm. The equipment includes fermenters with capacities of 50 and 200 liters, an autoclave and processing vessels.

2010

January

• Thermochemical processing equipment is installed in the center train of the BioCentury Research Farm’s Biomass Processing Facility.

April

• A 500-liter fermenter was purchased from Applikon Biotechnology and is installed in the Biochemical Train of the BioCentury Research Farm's Biomass Processing Facility.
• Construction is complete on the Thermochemical Train control room.
• A new concrete pad and covered structure is constructed to house the biomass grinding equipment donated by Vermeer Corporation.

July

• The first fermentation using the 500-liter vessel is completed. Hans van Leeuwen’s research group conducts work with fungal fermentation of thin stillage from ethanol production.
• The pyrolysis unit in the Thermochemical Train has two successful runs that were around the clock for one week.
• The Slurrystore wastewater system is completed.

September

• A new 1,000-liter fermenter was purchased from Applikon Biotechnology and is installed in the Biochemical Train of the BioCentury Research Farm's Biomass Processing Facility.
• USDA awards a grant to purchase a tractor, pellet mill, and a feeder for the gasifier.
• Avello Bioenergy uses bio-oil produced at the BioCentury Research Farm to produce bioasphalt used to pave a bike trail in Des Moines.

October

• Construction begins on a new gasifier.
• Installation of the pyrolyzer’s moving bed granular filter is completed.
• Dupont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol provides a grant to purchase three hoop structures for storing biomass.

November

• Construction begins on the three hoop structures.

2011

February

• Mark Honeyman, professor of animal science, is named associate director of the BioCentury Research Farm.

April

• Construction on the hoop structures is complete. They are used for biomass storage trials.

May

• Iowa Department of Economic Development grants funds to purchase equipment for the BioCentury Research Farm. The grant for over $1 million will enhance capabilities at the farm.
• Construction of the fluidized bed gasifier is complete. Located in the Biomass Processing Facility, the gasifier adds one more conversion process to the BioCentury Research Farm's suite of biofuels technologies.

September

• Approximately 75 visitors attend the BioCentury Research Farm open house on September 23.