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30 BIoteCHnoLoGY
Butamax‘ de novo pathway to produce biobutanol
with a modified yeast strain
2 NAD +
2 NADH
2
2 NADH
2 NAD +
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2 Ethanol + 2 CO 2
333 Miller made no secret of the fact that it took some time before
the decision-makers of his own company were ready to commit
to biotechnology. “Today, even the American consumer is
demanding green products,” said Miller with a touch of selfderision.
Technology platforms expand
the fields of application
Citing the example of 1,3-propandiol, a glycol produced biotechnologically
from glucose, he explained that sales remained low
from 2000 to 2006 but then rose dramatically in 2007. “Our annual
growth rates now average 50 percent,“ said Miller. Moreover,
DuPont is building its Sorona® polymer platform on biopropandiol—a
business that used to be the domain of petrochemistry.
These kinds of polymers enable highly dimensionally
stable clothing, durable car seat covers, as well as plastic resins
that protect against moisture and odors. DuPont supplies other
biotechnologically produced materials in such indus tries as
cosmetics, packaging, polymers and biofuels. Together with
the energy company BP, DuPont has established the joint venture
Butamax, which is now developing a second-generation
biofuel.
Dr. Elke Hofmann, Commercial Director Europe at Butamax
Advanced Biofuels, stressed the importance of such biofuels,
which have a higher energy content than bioethanol. “One of
the biggest weaknesses of bioethanol is its 30 to 40 percent
lower energy content compared to conventional fuels,” said Hofmann.
“The energy content of biobutanol, on the other hand, is
closer to the values of conventional fuels.” So Butamax embarked
on a quest for the right butanol molecule. After intensive
elements35 Issue 2|2011
O O O
ALS KARI
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CO 2
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OH
Acetolactate
Biomass
HO
HO
O
OH
O
DHAD
2 e
O O
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H2O OH
OH
Dihydroxyisovalerate
O
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© Butamax TM Advanced Biofuels LLC
research, isobutanol was selected in 2004. “We tested hundreds
of different molecules,” said Hofmann. Butamax produces the
butanol with a modified yeast strain. Biobutanol shows advantages
along the entire value-added chain including the ability to
be more easily blended than ethanol at the refinery.
In 2007, butanol successfully passed a fleet test that included
vehicles from model years as early as the 1990s. So in 2009, the
company began construction on a pilot plant in Hull (England),
with a specified nominal capacity of 37,000 liters per year. The
plant is currently in the start-up phase. “We plan to start
marketing the biobutanol in the United States in 2013 with plans
to expand to Europe,“ announced Hofmann. 777
O
ADH
2 e
H
– , 2 H +
α-Ketoisovalerate Isobutanal Biobutanol
OH
Dr. thomas Haas
heads Evonik´s Biotechnology
Science-to-Business Center
which is under the direction of
Creavis Technologies &
Innovation.
+49 2365 49-2004
thomas.haas@evonik.com
Dr. Jan Pfeffer
works as Project Manager
Research and Development
in the Biotechnology Scienceto-Business
Center.
+49 2365 49-5457
jan.pfeffer@evonik.com