Lignol Energy Corporation and Novozymes have established the framework of a multi-year collaboration agreement to optimize the latest generation of Novozymes' enzymes for use in Lignol's cellulosic biofuel process.

Lignol plans to construct large-scale biorefineries for the production of cellulosic biofuel from wood chips and forestry residues. Novozymes supplies enzymes that convert cellulosic biomass into sugars that can then be fermented into ethanol. The parties plan to use Lignol's fully integrated industrial-scale pilot plant in Burnaby, B.C., to optimize enzyme performance across a range of cellulosic feedstocks in Lignol's unique process.

This announcement follows progress between the parties which has resulted in significant improvements in the conversion of woody biomass to ethanol. "We are excited with the opportunity to collaborate with the world's leading enzyme producer to optimize their latest technology for Lignol's unique substrate. In so doing, we are removing a critical cost barrier to the commercialization of cellulosic ethanol. This marks a major step for our industry in achieving the cellulosic biofuel objectives set out by various governments throughout the world," said Lignol president and CEO, Ross MacLachlan. "Our integrated plant is perfectly suited for this type of collaboration in which our industrial process is coupled with Novozymes' biological technology to make cellulosic ethanol a commercial reality."

Lignol is a Canadian company undertaking the development of biorefining technologies for the production of fuel-grade ethanol and other biochemical co-products from non-food cellulosic biomass feedstocks. Lignol's modified solvent-based pre-treatment technology facilitates the rapid, high-yield conversion of cellulose to ethanol and the production of value-added biochemical co-products, including high purity HP-LTM lignins.