New enzyme technology produces ethanol with more efficiency

Novozymes, an industrial biotech company with an almost 50% share of the global enzyme market, has launched a new technology that increases ethanol yield from corn by up to 5%. According to the company’s press release, the technology also “increases corn oil extraction by 13%, while saving 8% energy.” The increase in efficiency is achieved through the use of the new enzymes called Spirizyme® Achieve and Olexa®, in combination with an older enzyme, Avantec®.
For perspective, current U.S. ethanol plants take approximately 900,00 tons of corn per year to produce 100 million gallons of ethanol. It also takes about 300,000 tons of corn to produce 8,500 tons of corn oil. The new enzymes uses 45,000 tons less of corn to produce the same about of ethanol, increase corn oil production and generate US$5 million more in profit.
Beyond the obvious benefits in terms of profit and efficiency, the new technology also helps to reduce the strain that ethanol production places on food production. The U.S. grows about 40% of the world’s corn, and ethanol uses 40% of U.S. corn production. Tom Capehart, a USDA biofuels expert says “corn-based biofuels such as ethanol, the current mandate (under EISA) is 12.6 billion gallons, which increases to 15 billion in 2015 and remains at that level.” David W. Kreutzer, a research fellow in energy economics and climate change, puts the numbers in perspective. “Ethanol production uses more than two-thirds of the economic value of the corn.” Although not a permanent solution, Novozymes’ 5% increase in efficiency could certainly help to mitigate the demands of ethanol production.
(June 13, 2013)