Lignol, Novozymes make progress on hardwood-to-ethanol process

Ethanol Producer Magazine
By Kris Bevill March 21, 2011

Vancouver-based Lignol Energy Corp. announced that its subsidiary, Lignol Innovations Ltd., has successfully completed a 2,500-liter enzyme optimization run at its hardwood-fed pilot plant in Burnaby, British Columbia, using Novozymes’ specially developed enzymes. Novozymes has been collaborating on research and development with Lignol since June 2010. The companies are working to develop a cellulosic ethanol process that will produce the fuel for approximately $2 per gallon.

Lignol President and CEO Ross MacLachlan said the recent trial run was conducted to test the effectiveness of Novozymes’ latest enzyme strains and the modifications made to them to be compatible with Lignol’s substrate. Likewise, Lignol’s substrate needed to be tested against the enzymes. The emphasis of the test was on the effectiveness of the process rather than cost, he said, and the outcome of the test was positive. “It showed us we were right on track and, in some respects, even a little better,” he said. “We felt we exceeded our interim targets of what we were trying to achieve in terms of effectiveness.”

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