Novozymes has announced a partnership with Shengquan Group, a Shandong-based company specializing in furan resin and polymers, to start commercial-scale production of cellulosic ethanol for solvents in June 2012 using Novozymes’ technology.
“Shengquan is a global first mover in this industry, which is on the verge of materializing right now,” says Poul Ruben Andersen, Vice President for Bioenergy at Novozymes. “Shengquan has profound experience in chemical production and is a leading company in commercializing cellulosic ethanol. Novozymes is proud to join Shengquan in nurturing a green and circular bioeconomy which lessens the dependence on fossil fuel resources.”
Shengquan is a leading producer of furfural using xylose in corncobs, a monomer for resin production in the foundry industry. Using Novozymes enzymes, Shengquan will now convert corncob residues from furfural production into fermentable sugars and then into ethanol for solvents and other purposes. Shengquan’s cost model shows that its current production cost of cellulosic ethanol is cost-competitive with conventional ethanol as the feedstock is a by-product of their current production.
Novozymes is a leading enzymatic solution provider in bioenergy. It partners with leading producers of cellulosic ethanol all over the world to commercialize this new technology.