Development grant
The Dutch life sciences company Royal DSM NV has received a grant from the US Department of Energy to support a programme to develop enzymes that can break down cellulose for use in the generation of biofuels.
The research will be carried out by a technical consortium, with DSM as the lead partner. The other participants include Abengoa Bioenergy New Technologies, Los Alamos Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory. Part of the development work will be carried out in the US, and the programme will run for four years.
The grant fits with the White Biotech programme that DSM has set up as one of its emerging business areas.
“The focus of this funded programme is right at the heart of our White Biotechnology strategy to create practical solutions for the biorefineries of the future, using feedstocks that are not in conflict with food and feed supplies,” said Volkert Claassen, DSM’s Vice President White Biotechnology.
“We also recognise that it will require solid industry and institutional partnerships in order to fully realise the potential of bio-based manufacturing.”
The development of technology for the bio-conversion of cellulosic feedstocks is still at an early stage. DSM said the collaboration will allow it to more rapidly develop and test technology at semi-commercial and full commercial scale in existing and pilot plants.
DSM’s main aim is to develop the technical skills for cellulosic biomass hydrolysis.
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