In the biomass research business, AdvanceBio Systems, of Milford is gaining energy. In August 2010, AdvanceBio announced the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., was acquiring the company's Biomass Pretreatment Reactor System for projects to make fuel ethanol from biomass cost-competitive. In July, Penn State University awarded AdvanceBio a contract to supply a Bench Scale Hydrolyzer System for its Shared Fermentation Facility in University Park, Penn. The equipment will be used for research, development and demonstration of technology related to production of biomass-based fuels and chemicals. Earlier, the company released The Bench Scale System, designed for university and corporate R&D personnel working on pre-treatment of biomass for next-generation fuels. AdvanceBio's other products are the lab, pilot and commercial scale systems. AdvanceBio's fuel and chemical consulting business began in 2007; the systems business began in '09.