Progress towards the production of biofuels more competitive towards hydrocarbons does not stop: After the biodiesel produced by the bacteria, two American companies have found a way to cut costs Production of ethanol from cellulose . The Novozymes, one of largest producers of synthetic enzymes, today announced it has found a way to break down cellulose into simple sugars using enzymes much cheaper than used so far, which allows to lower production costs from $ 1.30 to 50 cents per gallon (one gallon is equivalent to about 3.8 liters).
By 2011 the Novozymes - which next year will open its first major manufacturing facility - plans to be able to produce ethanol from cellulose, giving the finished product is priced at about $ 2 a gallon (about 1.5 € for almost 4 liters), a figure similar to the current cost of ethanol taken from corn and gasoline in United States.
raise the price of ethanol from cellulose at levels competitive with those taken from corn means being able to do without food exploit potential to produce biofuels and instead use vegetable less "important".
Almost simultaneously with Novozymes also Genencor, a division of Danisco, announced the creation of their own enzyme that promises to bring down costs at the same level.
Philippe Lavielle, vice president of Genencor, is convinced that bringing the large-scale production is possible ulteriano bring down the cost of production up at 20 or 30 cents a gallon, with price at the pump around $ 1.5 a gallon (about 1.1 €), this objective could be achieved over the next five or seven years.
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