Energy Transitions

At Illinois, the future of energy is already taking root.

In a greenhouse just outside campus, a new variety of sorghum grows taller, faster, and richer in oil than any crop before it. Across town, rows of data points flow from campus buildings, powering dashboards that inform everyday decisions about energy use. And in labs, fields, and testbeds across the state, researchers are reshaping how we power our world, working not only to reduce emissions but to reimagine what energy can be. At the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE), we believe that energy transitions are more than a technical challenge. They are a chance to transform systems, unlock new science, and create real-world solutions that scale.

Focus Areas

Featured Researchers & Initiatives

Andrew Leakey
Professor of Plant Biology; Director, Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI)
Professor Leakey leads CABBI, a $262.5 million DOE-funded center focused on growing next-generation bioenergy crops and converting them into sustainable fuels and chemicals. Under his leadership, CABBI has produced 18 patents and pioneered innovations, including high-oil sorghum, drought-resilient miscanthus, and low-emission bioconversion processes.
Learn more about CABBI >>>

Dokyoung “D.K.” Lee
Professor of Plant Biology; Director, Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI)
Professor Lee leads iSEE’s Next-Generation Feedstocks project, which is investigating the benefits of switchgrass and other prairie grasses as affordable, sustainable sources of market-ready biofuels and high-value products.

Impact Highlights

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