Biotech Updates

Collaborative Research Project to Develop Bioconversion of Sugar Beet Pulp and Wheat Bran to Ethanol

February 23, 2007
http://www.dyadic-group.com/wt/dyad/pr_1168958752
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/01/dyadic_joins_du.html

Dyadic International, Inc (a biotechnology company) and Royal Nedalco (a leading European producer of ethanol) have announced a research collaboration to develop bioconversion technologies to convert sugar beet and wheat bran to ethanol. One of the research areas will be the development of enzyme preparations for bioconversion. According to Dr. Jan Verdoes, Research Director of Dyadic Nederland BV, low value (i.e., low raw material cost) and high carbohydrate content are among the attractive features of sugar beet and wheat bran as biofuel feedstocks. There is a need, however, to overcome some technical challenges to develop cost effective enzyme preparations for the bioconversion. This is one of the objectives of the research. Funding will come from the Netherlands government (Ministry of Economic Affairs). The academic collaboration will involve Wageningen University (characterization of enzyme-treated materials) , Delft University (fermentation engineering) and Energy Research Center of the Netherlands (process modeling and economics)..