Mascoma Corp. Awarded $14.8 Million to Develop Biomass-to-Ethanol Demo Plant in New York

Energy Resource, Dec 20, 2006

ENERGY RESOURCE-20 December 2006-Mascoma Corp. Awarded $14.8 Million to Develop Biomass-to-Ethanol Demo Plant in New York(C)2006 JeraOne - http://www.jeraone.com

Mascoma Corporation, a cellulosic biomass-to-ethanol development and production company, has received a $14.8 million award from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to build and operate a biomass-to-ethanol demonstration plant in Rochester.

Pending local permit approvals and definitive agreements among the relevant parties, the project will focus on demonstrating "cellulose to ethanol" technology and industrial processes.

International Paper Co., Cornell University, Clarkson University and the Natural Resources Defense Council join Mascoma and Genencor, its enzyme partner, as part of a consortium supporting the project.

The facility will use New York State agricultural and/or forest products as biomass, including paper sludge, wood chips, switch grass and corn stover.

"After decades of research and development around the world, cellulosic ethanol technology has reached a point where we are ready to demonstrate the commercial scale production of ethanol from biomass," said Colin South, president, Mascoma. "We are very excited about the support from New York for our multi-feedstock approach, and we applaud New York and Governor George Pataki's leadership in developing the cellulosic ethanol market."

Following completion of design, engineering and site agreements and the required approval process, Mascoma estimates it will take 10-12 months to construct the pilot plant and begin operations.

Mascoma intends to locate the demonstration plant at or near Genencor's manufacturing site in Rochester. Genencor plans to add capacity at its existing manufacturing facility in Rochester to supply enzymes to the demonstration facility. It will also work with Mascoma to continue to improve its advanced enzyme products.

"Genencor has made substantial progress over the years on advanced enzymes for biomass conversion," said Jack Huttner, vice president of biorefinery development at Genencor. "Partnering with Mascoma allows us to prove them in a commercial setting. This will bring cellulosic ethanol one significant step closer to reality."

Mascoma Corporation has corporate offices in Cambridge, Mass., and R&D labs in Lebanon, N.H. Genencor, a division of Danisco A/S, is an industrial biotechnology company that develops enzymes and bioproducts for the cleaning, textiles, fuels and chemicals industries.

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@scitech21.com))

((Distributed via M2 Communications Ltd - http://www.m2.com))