Biocatalysis

Every idea needs to be presented in a compelling way if it is to catch on. According to Jeremy Shere, “What we need more of, to my mind, are stories about energy on a human scale, stories that give the average person a sense of what’s at stake and why he or she should care.” More here.

A study conducted by Wood McKenzie determined that by subsidizing the oil and gas industry, American taxpayers are picking up a portion of the real cost of those fossil energy sources. In turn, that discourages conservation and makes it harder for renewable energy sources to compete on price.

I guess that’s why we also now subsidize renewable energy research!

With all the talk about corn and crop lands being diverted away from food production and toward the production of biofuels, everyone has been expecting shortages of food and higher food prices. With this as background, I was surprised to read this morning that the EPA is now predicting a period of food abundance due to the rapid pace of innovation in productivity. Crop yields have risen dramatically along with biofuel yields from corn and soybean, and newer technologies are being developed that will replace corn with cellulose or switchgrass, or even algae.

The result is a predicted food glut, with more food available in the future than there will be a market for. Get the full story here.

A great article by Jim Lane on what he calls the “infinite loop” of renewable fuels financing. Shari Lewis could not have described the situation any better.

The winners of the 2010 Presidential Green Chemistry awards include Merck and Codexis for their collaborative work on a new enzyme-based process for manufacturing Januvia and LS9, Inc for its work toward developing a petroleum-like biofuel. The full list of recipients is here.

For another take on the impact of Craig Venter’s accomplishment in creating a designed organism

With so much press (and hype) surrounding the biofuels industry, and so many new developments, understanding what is hot and what is not can be challenging. Ecofriend has tried to cut through the fog, listing their picks as the 10 Most Transformative Technologies of 2010. Follow the link for details. I’ll comment on some of these in upcoming posts.

I will make one observation now: Craig Venter’s creation of the first synthetic cell is not on the list–a gross oversight in my humble opinion.

Craig Venter, together with scientist from his company Synthetic Genomics, recently announced a scientific breakthrough: creation of the first synthetic cell. Here is the brief summary of what was accomplished: a cell had its DNA removed and replaced by DNA designed on a computer and synthesized in the lab, and the cell with the lab-synthesized DNA was able to reproduce. Voila–a new life form was made according to the designed DNA. The future implication are that soon Venter and Co. will be able to design and create a “super bug” ideally designed to churn out larger quantities of fuel compounds that was heretofore possible, and do so from precursors as inexpensive and readily available a carbon dioxide. I cannot predict the timeline, but Venter’s work is the first step in what will likely be a series of scientific accomplishments culminating in a wide range of highly efficient bioprocesses.

Converting a greenhouse gas to fuel looks great on paper and sounds even better. Cost and those pesky technical details get in the way, of course, but progress is accelerating. For an update on that progress, check out this article by Jim Lane and Biofuels Digest.

Novozymes, the largest and IMHO best enzyme maker on the planet, has just introduced another innovation. It is called GH-61, which tells you nothing about what it really is. Novozymes calls it an “enzyme booster” that turbocharges the enzymatic degradation of cellulose. Imagine: an additive that boosts the performance of Novozyme’s already high-performing cellulases. Accelerating the conversion of waste cellulosic raw materials–things like corn cobs, straw, corn stalks, sugar cane bagasse (the stalks left over after the sugar has been crushed out), and the like– into sugars that can be fermented to produce biofuels is step forward on the path toward more plentiful and less expensive biofuels.

Commercialization has just been initiated, and sales are only beginning. But CEO Steen Riisgard says: “We are a real company, and when we say we are ready, we mean we are ready.”

I believe him.