Major Cellulosic Ethanol Production Technique Breakthrough Announced by Mascoma

image: Mascoma

Boston-based Mascoma Corporation has announced that it has made a major research breakthrough in cellulosic ethanol processing, which can reducing the cost of processing by up to 60% in lab tests:Saying that Mascoma's proof-of-concept is "the biggest R&D-driven; advance yet achieved" in cellulosic biofuels, Biofuels Digest sums up a recent presentation of the research:

The highlight of Mascoma's report is in the yeast platform, where Mascoma has developed a recombinant celluloytic yeast that eliminates the need for added enzymes in the rapid production of ethanol from paper sludge, and a 2.5 fold reduction in enzymes in rapid production of ethanol from pretreated hardwood. Mascoma reported a 3000-fold increase in enzyme production rates.

Mascoma currently has a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol facility in Rome, New York. A commercial-scale biorefinery in Michigan is also being planned, with the help of the Department of Energy and the State of Michigan.

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