Praj Industries ties up with Novozymes on Advanced Biofuels
Posted Dec.10, 2009 in Biotech
Praj Industries ties up with Novozymes on Advanced Biofuels
PRAJ Industries , a leading company in biofuel technology and plants, and Novozymes, the leading enzyme provider to the biofuel industry, have decided to collaborate on advanced biofules. Together, PRAJ and Novozymes will optimize the enzymatic hydrolysis processes and the use of enzymes in the production of advanced biofuel. The collaboration agreement was signed in Copenhagen by Pramod Chaudhari, Chairman of PRAJ and Steen Riisgaard, President & CEO of Novozymes A/S, to mark the climate change summit in Copenhagen. Pramod Chaudhari and Steen Riisgaard are both attending the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) taking place in Copenhagen from December 7 to 18, 2009. The two companies have worked together for several years within conventional biofuels.
On the occasion of signing the collaboration agreement Mr. Pramod Chaudhari, Chairman, Praj Industries said, “PRAJ is engaged in pilot trials of advanced biofuels at our PRAJ-Matrix innovation center in India. We have been working with various agri-residues, including sugarcane bagasse, corn cobs, straw, wood chips and grasses. Our progress in cellulose-to-ethanol processing combined with the experience of Novozymes in this are is a significant development which will enable a significant reduction in the cost of enzymes for the production of cellulosic ethanol.”
“Novozymes’ strong commitment to sustainable biofuels and not least to developing enzyme technology for the commercial production of cellulosic biofuel is well known. We believe this collaboration with PRAJ will be instrumental in ensuring rapid deployment of cellulosic biofuel in India as well as in other parts of the world,” said Steen Riisgaard, President & CEO of Novozymes A/S.
India and other countries that have been working to develop and to deploy biofuel will see clear benefits, from job creation in rural areas to improved energy security. The world will benefit from significantly reduced CO2 emissions in the transport sector, which today is the second largest and fastest growing source of CO2 emissions.