(515a) Realization of Sustainable and Cost-Effective Cellulosic Ethanol Production By Deploying Enzyme and Advanced Yeast Technologies in an Integrated Approach

Ethanol is considered the most potential next generation automotive fuel because it is carbon-neutral and could be produced from renewable resources like lignocellulosic biomass. Key to economic viability of cellulosic ethanol is cheap production and application of different enzymes hydrolyzing lignocellulosic carbohydrates into fermentable sugars and efficient conversion of the derived monomeric sugars into ethanol at high productivities and yields using advanced yeast strains. DSM is a frontrunner in the development of bioconversion and fermentation technologies for the production of cellulosic ethanol, enabling the industry to diversify from starch crops to lignocellulosic agricultural residues, unlocking the full industrial potential of this cheap, abundantly available and sustainable type of feedstock.

Within DSM, research projects aim at developing both commercially competitive cellulolytic enzymes for the liquefaction and saccharification processes, and genetically engineered yeast strains that ferment hexoses and pentoses to ethanol. DSM’s enzyme cocktail is uniquely active at high temperature and low pH, offering many benefits and product differentiation. Further strain and process development, enzyme cocktail ratio optimization, protein and genetic engineering have led to significant improvements in productivity, efficiency and costs. Fermentation of hexoses and pentoses from lignocellulosic hydrolysates by DSM’s yeast strains has been significantly improved by applying both rational and evolutionary engineering strategies, resulting in C6- and C5-sugars fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains being commercially available. Additionally, next generation advanced yeast strains, which have accelerated pentose utilization, improved robustness, as well as the ability to convert inhibitors and specific biorefinery waste products into additional ethanol, are currently finding their way to commercial implementation.

In this context, it is of great importance to fully integrate the design, construction and operation of the aforementioned technologies into a biorefinery for biofuels production. In this presentation, we will discuss the latest developments and how those fit within the platform of on-site manufacturing of enzymes and yeast fermentation.

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