Novozymes teams up with MBI on biofuel research

Jan 14, 2013 - Danish biotech company Novozymes A/S (CPH:NZYM B) and Michigan non-profit organisation MBI said Monday they had teamed up to develop innovative methods to convert corn stover into sugars for the production of biofuels.

The partnership received on January 3, 2013 a USD-2.5-million (EUR 1.9m) grant by the US Department of Energy to fund their research in the field.

Novozymes will contribute to the partnership its expertise in enzyme screening and development to be combined with MBI’s AFEX biomass processing technology.

The partnership between the two companies will focus on the development of specific enzymes for AFEX-treated biomass, which will allow the cheaper production of fermentable sugars. The non-food biomass sugars would be later converted into bio-based fuels, chemicals and other products.

The AFEX technology consists in the formation of dense biomass pellets which can be easily stored and transported to biorefineries.

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