Sinopec, Novozymes to jointly develop 2G biofuel

Shanghai, February 9 (Gasgoo.com) Danish Biofuel enzyme producer Novozymes has recently signed a deal with oil refinery Sinopec and China National Cereals, Oil & Foodstuff Corp (COFCO) to develop second-generation bio-ethanol in China from agricultural waste, said sina.com today.

The three-way partnership will cover the entire chain of ethanol production and distribution, with the aim of developing a commercial-scale process for producing second-generation ethanol from corn stover. The fuel is expected to be able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90% compared to oil-based fuels. China is the second-largest corn producer in the world, after the United States.

"This [partnership] puts us one step closer to being able to produce commercial quantities of bio-ethanol from agricultural waste. Second-generation bio-ethanol production in China holds vast potential for Novozymes as the technology leader, and we expect to be the first company with enzymes ready for large-scale production by 2010," said Novozymes CEO Steen Riisgaard.

COFCO and Novozymes have cooperated for the past two years, and as part of the agreement, COFCO has run a small-scale pilot plant during that time. Sinopec, the world's third-largest oil refinery, has a 60% share in China's refined-oil market.

China has promoted a bio-energy advancement strategy for the production of biofuels from existing technologies and development of second-generation biofuels. This will also raise farmers' income and boost the rural economic growth.