US funds Novozymes' cellulosic ethanol project

28 February 2008 17:54  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (ICIS news)--The US Department of Energy (DoE) has picked Novozymes to further develop enzymes for cellulosic ethanol production, the Denmark-based producer said on Thursday.

 

“This funding will be used to bolster our ongoing research effort to develop cost-effective enzymes for the conversion of cellulose-rich biomass into ethanol or other renewable fuels,” said Joel Cherry, senior director of Novozymes’ biofuels biotechnology. Novozymes did not disclose the financial terms.

 

Novozymes was aiming to supply commercial enzymes to meet demand from DoE-funded pilot and demonstration cellulosic ethanol plants expected to start up in 2010 and beyond, it said.

 

The company has been working on cellulosic ethanol - which involves the conversion of agricultural residues like straws and corn stover into ethanol - since 2001 when it received previous DoE funding.

 

“The continued support and commitment of the US government is important to the development of a second generation of renewable fuels, and we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute,” Cherry added.

 

Copenhagen-based Novozymes describes itself as the largest supplier of enzymes to the conventional ethanol industry.

 

Bookmark Simon Robinson’s Big Biofuels Blog for some independent thinking on biofuels

 

For more on ethanol visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Stefan Baumgarten
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