In 1995 Verenium, then Celunol, secured an exclusive license to commercialize proprietary cellulosic ethanol technology developed at the University of Florida. Working with the University and other academic and industry sources, including Dartmouth, Auburn, the University of Colorado, and the University of California at Davis, Verenium has continued to develop its unique technology to release the full sugar potential of cellulosic biomass.
Today, Verenium continues as an R&D leader in the cellulosic ethanol field. We operate a laboratory at the Sid Martin Biotechnology Development Incubator of the University of Florida, as well as a research laboratory at its pilot plant in Jennings, Louisiana.
The sugar in cellulosic biomass is locked up in the form of cellulose and hemicellulose. Cellulose contains glucose, the same type of sugar—a six-carbon (C6) sugar—that is found in cornstarch and that can be fermented to ethanol using conventional yeasts. However, hemicellulose contains mainly non-glucose sugars—five-carbon (C5) sugars. Conventional yeasts cannot ferment most non-glucose sugars to ethanol with commercially acceptable yields.
Verenium's technology enables almost complete conversion of all the sugars found in cellulosic biomass. This efficiency advantage, combined with the low input cost of cellulosic biomass, results in superior economics in the production of ethanol.
Step 1: Biomass is delivered to our plant for storage
Step 2: Biomass is prepared for processing, based on its characteristics
Step 3: Biomass is pretreated to break down plant matter (acid hydrolysis of hemicellulose)
Step 4: The hemicellulose syrup, containing xylose or C5 sugars, is drawn off for processing
4a. The sugars are fermented using Verenium’s proprietary bacterium and the process yields dilute ethanol “beer”
Step 5: Cellulose and lignin residues are sent for further processing, yielding additional dilute ethanol “beer”
5a. C6 sugars are fermented using Verenium’s proprietary bacterium, producing ethanol and excreting additional enzymes for cellulose hydrolysis. This reduces the need for added enzymes by more than 50 percent.
Step 6: Commercial enzymes are produced on site using fiber to “train” fungus to optimize for a given biomass source
Step 7: Ethanol beer from steps 3 and 4 is collected into the beer well prior to distillation
Step 8: The ethanol beer is distilled to remove water and residue, resulting in high-grade ethanol
Step 9: The residue, or “stillage,” is sent to a boiler where it is burned to produce steam for the process
Step 10: Verenium’s high-grade ethanol is ready for shipment to the market
