Newly formed DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC, a 50/50 global joint venture (JV) between Dupont and Danisco, announced an agreement to develop and commercialize a leading low-cost technology solution for the production of cellulosic ethanol – a next generation biofuel produced from non-food sources.
An initial $140 million investment will target corn stover and sugarcane bagasse, with future targets aimed at ligno-cellulosic feedstocks to include wheat straw, a variety of energy crops, and other biomass sources.
“By combining the world-class capabilities of DuPont and Danisco, our joint venture will offer the technology standard for cellulosic ethanol production,” said Danisco CEO Tom Knutzen. “This joint venture will be a powerhouse of discovery, development and engineering. It represents a major step forward in Danisco’s new strategic intent to be a leading force in the field of industrial biotechnology.”
The goal is to maximize efficiency and lower the overall system cost to produce a gallon of ethanol from cellulosic materials by optimizing the process steps into a single integrated technology solution. The joint venture expects to enable production of commercial volumes of cellulosic ethanol by 2012.