Genencor launches first ever commercial enzyme product for cellulose ethanol

Genencor, a division of Danisco A/S, today announced 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. 

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). 

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.”

“Enzymes, such as those developed by Genencor, will serve as catalysts to the commercial-scale viability of cellulosic ethanol, a clean source of energy to help meet President Bush’s goal of reducing our reliance on oil,” DOE Assistant Secretary Andy Karsner said.  “Ethanol from new feed stocks will not only give America more efficient fuel options to help transform our transportation sector, but increasing its use will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Product information and technical applications information is available on the website www.genencor.com/cellulosicethanol.  

Accellerase™ 1000 will be available for sample and sale immediately

Call the customer relations numbers below or email customer_relations@genencor.com to place your order: 

• Europe/Africa /Middle East: +31 71 5686 168
• United States and Canada: +1 800 847 5311
• Asia/Pacific: +65 6511 5600
• Latin America: +54 11 5199 9550

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.

Download this release in English in PDF format

Download this release in Danish in PDF format

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