Energy

Today’s energy consumption is made up of 60% petroleum and natural gas. By 2050 oil production is projected to be less than 20% of current rates, and natural gas production less than 25%.

Still, we need energy sources to fuel our automobiles and stay mobile. The challenge is to develop renewable, economically viable solutions to curb our dependence on fossil fuels. 

The solution? Advanced, and more sustainable biofuel technologies. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Renewable Fuel Standard Program (RFS2) Regulatory Impact Analysis of February 2010, first generation corn-to-ethanol plants has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 52% over petroleum-based fuels. Second-generation ethanol made from cellulosic feedstocks (e.g., switchgrass), agricultural residues (e.g., corn stover), or wood forest residues has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 129%, compared to gasoline.

Genencor’s enzymes are a critical component for process efficiency and yield results in both cases, working continuously on improving the fuel ethanol industry’s productivity and efficacy.

For example, Genencor’s Accellerase® enzyme platform is using non-food agricultural residue, such as wheat straw, wood chips and switchgrass, to help producers develop the route to cellulosic ethanol. Considered the next generation of biofuels, Accellerase® technology can help ethanol producers reduce carbon emissions by greater than 50 percent over previous processes, which makes it an important tool to break industry dependence on petroleum.