Genencor Launches First Ever Commercial Enzyme Product for Cellulose Ethanol

Accellerase™ 1000 is launched at the Cellulosic Ethanol Summit in Washington, DC

Press Release:

Genencor, a division of Danisco A/S, announced on Oct. 15, a new product, Accellerase™ 1000, the first ever commercially available biomass enzyme developed specifically for second generation biorefineries.

Accellerase™ 1000 contains a potent complex of enzymes that reduces complex lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars -- an indispensable step for the production of cellulosic ethanol. . . .

Highlights of Accellerase benefits

• Enhanced saccharification performance on a variety of feedstocks.
• Ability to operate in simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) processes, two step sequential hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) processes or hybrids of the two.
• High ß-glucosidase activity to minimize residual cellobiose, which may lead to a higher saccharification and ultimately to a faster ethanol fermentation.  Yields may also be improved.   
• Unclarified product. The remaining nutrients from enzyme production are available to the yeast in addition to the fermentable sugars produced by saccharification.
• Minimal formulation to ensure that enzyme formulation chemicals do not interfere with saccharification carbohydrate profile analysis or subsequent yeast fermentation. . . .

Commercial interest in second generation biorefineries, driven in part by government policies to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and increase energy independence, has accelerated over the past two years in the USA and around the world.  Accellerase™ 1000 will fill a large unmet need for reliable biomass enzyme supply to pilot and demonstration plant developers who are actively working on process development, scale up and integration. 

Accellerase™ 1000 is the first in what the company expects to be a family of products tailored to different biomass feedstocks and system conditions.  The key features that are expected to be important at commercial scale are already built into this first product.

“The biofuels industry is at an inflection point with the development of cellulosic ethanol plants at the pilot and demonstration scale,” said Jack Huttner, vice president of biorefinery business development.  “Every biorefinery developer needs to know how enzymes will work in their system.  This product aims to address that need and to start a dialogue with potential partners about customized solutions and supply at the industrial scale.” . . .

Genencor has been developing its biomass enzymes for well over 10 years.  The effort was partially supported by contracts with the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). 

Supposedly good new for cellulosic ethanol industry.  The comment in quotes makes me wonder whether this product is cost effective or whether more development is required for individual crops. It sounds to me that the product is not truly commercial, but a ploy to get developers interested in their products. On Sept 20 the company announced price increases for their "saccharification product line by 10-15% effective October 15th, 2007 and as current contracts expire." This is a different product, but it makes you wonder.

On their website they make the followiing statement instead of the first point of their benefits in the press release:

Enhanced saccharification performance on a range of feedstocks - sugar cane bagasse, corn stover, softwood pulp.

I wonder why the difference, certainly these specific feedstocks are essential to the success of the cellulosic ethanol industry. But they leave out wood chips and switchgrass which are perhaps more desirable. There may be a logical progression from easier to handle feedstocks to more difficult ones.

Comments

[fjh]

We've been doing this with a fungus that grows wild in Maine; slower but same result and you don't have the cost component.

Experimenting with ways to accelerate this 'natural' decomposition of wood; wonder whether the enzymes are genetically modified or natural extractions?

[abbott-associates]

Part of the answer may be that all celluloses are not the same - wood is different from corn stover and switchgrass. Enzymes that work on some celluloses may not work as effectively on others. Also, pretreatment of the cellulose to open the cellulose for enzyme treatment is critical to effeciency, which is why soft wood pulp is an initial target cellulose material but not as-is wood chips. I suspect there is still work to do on bringing the cost of enzymes down to where they need to be to be competitive.

[abbott-associates]

FJH, my undestanding is that Genencor has been working on genetically modified enzymes orginally derived from natural sources.

[bigTom]

There have been a few announcements of early cellulosic ethanol plants. Here is one.
http://media.cleantech.com/1930/abengoa-opens-pilot-biomass-plant-in-nebraska

I don't know if any of these are commercially viable, or are being build to acquire experience under the belief that the field will become profitable in a few years. I also suspect that the sale prices of byproducts may not hold up to the scaling up of the industry.

[Kit P]

I am having a hard time finding much not to like about the ethanol industry. First, lots of good jobs are being created in small towns by creating higher value for marginal crops. Second, it reduces the amount of money we send to unstable governments. Third, it provides what looks to be an expandable option that can be marketed to around the world.

[Dr P K MAITRA]

Dear Sir(s)
India is generating large quantities of sugar cane bagasses & this lignocellulosic biomass
is either used for ineffient burning or as domestic fuel.
I am interested to initiate a proposal to our
Dept of Sci & Technology to establish a Bench Scale Pilot plant & subsequently a Pilot plant
for production of Ethanol from bagasses, in above context may I request you to send me an
outline of infra stucture for above projects & fund required.
Dr P K MAITRA (formerly Head R&D, PSU Co)Date 24th Dec -2007