As part of its assessment activity to identify new areas for fundamental research leading to energy-related technologies that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP) at Stanford University in collaboration with the International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy and Sustainability (I-CARES) at Washington University in St. Louis, held a two-day workshop on Biological Capture and Utilization of CO₂.

Technical experts on photosynthetic organisms and fossil fuel combustion assembled to discuss opportunities for research aimed at understanding the potential of non-terrestrial biomass to capture carbon from fossil fuel sources. The coupling of fossil fuel emissions to the production of biofuels or high value products was discussed in order to identify high-risk, high reward fundamental research topics in this area that may lead to game-changing technologies.