Novozymes, one of the leading enzyme producers for the U.S. ethanol industry, had a special guest this week touting its research on cellulosic ethanol. President George W. Bush toured Novozymes’ Franklinton, N.C., facility and hosted a panel discussing cellulose ethanol Thursday.

Bush touted cellulosic ethanol as part of the push in his “20 in 10” plan, which he announced in his 2007 State of the Union Address. The plan calls for reducing U.S. gasoline consumption by 20 percent over the next 10 years. Bush also announced a mandatory fuels standard requiring 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels by 2017. The current renewable fuels standard calls for 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuels use by 2012.

Cellulosic ethanol development is also needed because corn-to-ethanol production is putting a strain on corn prices, Bush said. “The demand for corn, because of agricultural use and now energy use, is causing corn prices to go up,” he said.

Michael Pacheco, head of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s National Bioenergy Center, said Bush’s “20 in 10” plan is achievable. “The growth of the corn and the biodiesel industry, which since you signed the Energy Policy Act two years ago, have been growing at over 100 percent per year,” Pacheco said. “Those fuels are going to make a major portion of that 20 percent, but we have to, as you indicated, begin the transition to use a broader base of fuels.”

Novozymes’ Franklinton facility houses production operations and research and development laboratories. The R&D lab has a specific focus on the company’s cellulose ethanol conversion technologies and commercialization efforts, Novozymes said.

“We discussed with President Bush the importance of enzymes as a critical tool in making ethanol a commercially viable alternative energy that can make the world less dependent on oil,” said Novozymes President and CEO Steen Riisgaard. “Using enzymes in the production of renewable fuels is the most sustainable way to cut production costs, decrease investment needs and reduce pollution.”

The Novozymes visit was the second time since the State of the Union that Bush has toured a company working on the commercialization of cellulosic ethanol production. On Jan. 24, Bush visited DuPont’s Delaware headquarters, where the company discussed its plans to develop cellulosic ethanol and biobutanol.

A complete transcript of Bush's visit to Novozymes is available here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/02/20070222-5.html

Dave Nilles is Online Editor for Ethanol Producer Magazine. Reach him at dnilles@bbibiofuels.com or (701) 373-0636.

Posted: 2:33 p.m. CST Friday, February 23, 2007