DuPont Announces Cellulosic Ethanol Licensing Agreement with China Business
Source: By Rachel Gantz, OPIS • Posted: Monday, July 20, 2015
Specifically, the agreement allows NTL to license DuPont’s cellulosic ethanol technology and use DuPon’t Accellerase enzymes to produce cellulosic ethanol from leftover biomass.
Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed, nor were information on when it would begin production. “NTL is working to secure the necessary government approvals and support to implement this agreement,” the company noted.
When reached via e-mail, DuPont spokeswoman Wendy Rosen told OPIS this afternoon that “[e]ssentially, NTL is purchasing a license agreement to replicate our facility in Iowa. … [O]ur Nevada, Iowa, facility is a 30 million gal/yr biorefinery,” she said. Therefore, NTL’s proposed plant is likely to have the same production capacity, she noted.
“In terms of timing, NTL is now in the process of securing government approvals, which we cannot predict in terms of any hard timeline. A plant of this nature takes essentially two years to build,” Rosen added.
“We are honored to have found such a strong partner in NTL,” said Jan Koninckx, global biofuels leader for DuPont Industrial Biosciences. “The company’s reputation for producing world-class grain ethanol makes it a superior candidate to put DuPont’s advanced technology to work to realize the additional economic and environmental benefits of cellulosic biofuel in China,” he added.
“With its history of scientific innovation, collaboration and commitment to the ethanol industry, DuPont is an ideal partner for New Tianlong in our quest to bring the cleanest renewable fuel on the planet to China,” said SUN Guojing, general manager of NTL. “We look forward to working with DuPont over the coming years as we develop the biomass supply chain, construct a world-class facility and produce fuel that delivers on the promise of reduced pollution and greenhouse gases. This project will augment our current excellent grade ethanol offerings and business and will make NTL the preeminent biofuel product supplier in China,” he added.
Meanwhile, as OPIS reported last month, DuPont is completing construction at its Iowa cellulosic ethanol plant and plans a grand opening celebration on Oct. 30.